He just turned 14, and Rhys Ferrito is one of the top young triathletes in the United Sates.
Ferrito, who will be a freshman at Sage Ridge High School in the fall, won the Youth Triathlon Nationals for the second year in a row on July 13 in Des Moines, Iowa. He also won the youth category in 2023 in Milwaukee.
He is the first athlete to win the Youth Triathlon (ages 15 and under) two years back-to-back.
He was seventh in August 2021 and third in August 2022 before winning in August 2023. He has one more year of eligibility in the youth age group (13-15) before moving to the junior (age 16-19) category.
Races in several categories were held on Saturday. Ferrito's race began at 1 p.m. on a warm, muggy afternoon in Des Moines, with 60% humidity and temperatures in the 90s. He started conservatively in the swim and was fourth out of the water, then attacked to take the lead on the bike after a mile, then controlled any counter-attacks on the run.
He won by 45 seconds over the second-place finisher.
The distances for his race were a 375-meter swim, 10-kilometer bike ride and 2.5-kilometer run to finish. In the junior race, distances will be doubled.
Ferrito trains with Damonte Ranch cross country/track and field coach Lupe Cabada, Lakeridge swim coach Sharon Weiss and Max McManus for strength and conditioning, as well as his father, Robbie Ferrito.
More Youth Triathlon Nationals results from Reno competitors
- Peyton Miller (Spanish Springs High School): 13th overall in junior draft male
- Oliver Raker (Galena High School): 14th overall in youth draft male
- Eleanor Raker (Galena High School) 24th overall in junior draft female
This article originally appeared on Reno Gazette Journal: Reno teen takes first place at Youth Triathlon Nationals for second straight year
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