Reese Vannerson's Top-10 Finish Leads U.S. at 2025 World Triathlon U23 World Championships
Share:
by USA Triathlon
WOLLONGONG, Australia — All eyes were on the next generation of U.S. Elite Triathlon stars on Thursday, Oct. 16 at the 2025 World Triathlon U23 World Championships and Junior World Championships in Australia.
Reese Vannerson led the way for the U.S. U23 athletes, running his way to an eighth-place finish in the men's race with a time of 1 hour, 45 minutes, 40 seconds on the Olympic-distance course (1,500-meter swim, 40-kilometer bike, 10k run). The upstart triathlete came to Wollongong with a strong 2025 season under his belt that included his first World Cup win in Chengdu, China, and a string of Americas Cup wins. Last year, he earned silver at the 2024 World Triathlon Junior World Championships.
Great Britain's Oliver Conway ran away with the men's U23 World Championship title on Thursday, finishing with a time of 1:42:54. Hungary's Márton Kropkó earned silver and Euan DeNigro of Italy took the bronze. The trio was among a group of 11 athletes that made up the lead bike group, which rode to a lead of more than 2 minutes ahead of the chase pack heading into transition two.
Vannerson and U.S. teammate Braxton Legg were in the chase group. Vannerson ran strong off the bike, clocking the day's second-fastest 10k (30:13) to run his way into the top 10. Legg followed in 19th, with fellow U.S. teammate Sullivan Middaugh placing 28th.
Britney Brown, a women's NCAA triathlete competing for Arizona State University, led the U.S. U23 women, placing 25th. U.S. teammates Joy Gill, Chelsea Webber (University of South Dakota) and Ellison Wolfe (University of Arizona) placed 27th, 35th and 36th, respectively.
Australia's Richelle Hill won the women's U23 World Championship title, while Italy's Angelica Prestia earned the silver and Márta Kropkó the bronze.
Next up from Wollongong is the Junior World Championships on Friday, Oct. 17 (Thursday evening for U.S. viewers). Fans can watch all of the World Championship racing in Wollongong live and on-demand on TriathlonLive.tv. Buy your pass here to subscribe to TriathlonLive. Plan for a few late nights watching live triathlon this week and weekend as Wollongong is 15 hours ahead of Eastern Daylight Time.
Junior World Championships Live Coverage
Men's Juniors: Friday, Oct. 17, 2:15 p.m. AUS | Thursday, Oct. 16, 11:15 p.m. ET
Women’s Juniors: Friday, Oct. 17, 4:15 p.m. AUS | Fri. Oct 17. 1:15 a.m. ET
Leading the U.S. Junior squad is Jimena Renata De La Peña Schott, who was the silver medalist at the 2023 World Junior Championships (while representing Mexico) and took this year’s Americas Junior title. She'll be joined by her U.S. teammates Ruth Pardy, Mia Wentzy and Marley Andelman.
U.S. Juniors Blake Bullard, Isaac Lamprecht and Graham Hummel will race in the men's Junior World Championships.
Wollongong, Australia
1,500 meter swim, 40k bike, 10k run
Men
1. Oliver Conway (GBR) 1:42:54
2. Márton Kropkó (HUN), 1:44:33
3. Euan DeNigro (ITA), 1:44:46
U.S. Finishers
8. Reese Vannerson (Sugar Land, Texas), 1:45:40
19. Braxton Legg (Odessa, Fla.), 1:47:42
28. Sullivan Middaugh (Beaver Creek, Colo.), 1:48:44
Women
1. Richelle Hill (AUS), 1:56:58
2. Angelica Prestia (ITA), 1:57:00
3. Márta Kropkó (HUN), 1:57:03
U.S. Finishers
25. Britney Brown (O'Fallon, Ill.), 2:01:55
27. Joy Gill (Shavano Park, Texas), 2:02:04
35. Chelsea Webber (Colorado Springs, Colo.), 2:07:56
36. Ellison Wolfe (Columbia, Pa.), 2:08:20
USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 3,500 events and races and connects with and supports more than 300,000 unique active members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon World Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
