MEMBER PROFILE
As an Olympic athlete, Duplanty’s career is marked by numerous accolades, but his induction into the Waterman Hall of Fame holds a unique significance. “I am honored to be included because, to me, it is not just about what was accomplished by those incredible men and women, but who these people are,” he said during his induction speech. For Duplanty, this honor stands apart—going beyond his personal accomplishments to highlighting the community and values that shaped him. “It represents where I came from—all the people I looked up to.” This recognition adds to an already impressive legacy. Duplanty was a two-time United States Water Polo Athlete of the Year and an exceptional swimmer at the University of California, Irvine, where he earned NCAA All-America honors. He also excelled academically, receiving the Big West Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year award. Beyond his playing career, he returned to the 2000 Olympics as an assistant coach for the U.S. Women’s Water Polo Team, helping lead them to their first-ever Olympic appearance and a historic silver medal. For Seraphin, one of paddleboarding’s most accomplished athletes, the honor carried a deep personal significance. “It was a pretty heavy honor for me because I wasn’t born here—I didn’t grow up here,” she shares. “If you look at who's in the Hall of Fame, it’s grounded in Duke, in Hawaiian culture, and in some pretty bona fide Kānaka Maoli Hawai‘i watermen. To be the first person recognized for paddleboarding itself—a historic Hawaiian ocean sport—that was just really something I never imagined would come to me.” Both athletes feel a deep connection to the legacy of the Hawai‘i Waterman Hall of Fame, yet for each, the recognition is also a reflection of their unique journeys and their passion for the water. As a young graduate student at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Seraphin’s journey into paddleboarding began with canoe paddling alongside some of the sport’s top athletes—Dolan Eversole, Guy Pere, and Sean Monahan. Seeking any opportunity to be on the water, she bought a leaky $50 kayak, a humble start that reflected her determination. “I didn't
“To be the first person recognized for paddleboarding itself—a historic Hawaiian ocean sport—that was just really something I never imagined would come to me.”
—Kanesa Duncan Seraphin
Seraphin with her paddleboard, where she feels most at home. Photo by Dana Edmunds
MARCH / APRIL 2025 | AMA 19
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