2025 Triathlon Year In Review: U.S. Elite Triathletes Shine on the World Stage

From podium finishes across the globe to historic breakthroughs and world championship titles, 2025 was a defining season for U.S. elite triathletes and paratriathletes. As the year comes to a close, the results tell a powerful story of depth, consistency, and momentum across USA Triathlon’s elite and development pathways.

U.S. athletes earned 110 podium finishes, including 36 gold medals across World Triathlon events in 2025, a testament to the strength of the entire program, from established stars to rising talents making their mark on the international stage.

Leading the way was Taylor Spivey, who once again proved herself as one of the most reliable performers in the sport. Spivey finished fourth overall in the 2025 World Triathlon Championship Series standings, highlighted by a silver-medal performance at WTCS Karlovy Vary. 

The result marks the fifth time in her career that Spivey has finished fourth in the WTCS standings — a testament to her remarkable consistency and longevity at the highest level of the sport. Since making her World Triathlon debut nearly a decade ago, Spivey has become one of the most reliable and respected competitors on the international circuit. She has finished inside the world’s top 10 nearly every season since 2018, highlighted by a career-best third overall in 2021 and a string of near-podium Series finishes in 2019, 2022, 2023, and now 2025.

Spivey also dabbled in long-course racing in 2025, competing in five events on the T100 Triathlon World Tour to place 12th in the standings. 

The U.S. once again set the global standard in paratriathlon, winning six medals at the 2025 World Triathlon Para Championships in Wollongong, Australia, matching France for the world lead. Standout performances included:

• Grace Norman (PTS5) – Gold
• Chris Hammer (PTS5) – Gold
• Hailey Danz (PTS2) – Silver
• Emelia Perry (PTWC) – Silver
• Danielle Cummings (PTS4) – Silver
• Mohamed Lahna (PTS2) – Bronze

Norman capped off her extraordinary season by capturing her sixth world championship title, further cementing her legacy as one of the most accomplished paratriathletes in the sport’s history.

For Hammer, his world title marked a triumphant return to the top of the World Championships podium after placing fourth at the 2024 World Championships following his long-sought Paralympic gold medal at the Paris 2024 Paralympics. 

The World Championships concluded with another defining moment for Team USA, as Emelia Perry, Carson Clough, Grace Norman, Owen Cravens, and guide Kevin McDowell powered to gold in the Para Mixed Relay, successfully defending their world championship title.

On the men’s elite side, John Reed delivered a breakthrough moment, becoming just the fourth U.S. man ever to medal at a World Triathlon Championship Series race with a podium finish at WTCS Weihai. Reed paced the U.S. men in the Series, placing 17th, while two-time Olympic medalist Morgan Pearson finished 20th. 

Fellow upstart Reese Vannerson won his first World Cup gold, with his triumph in Chengdu. 

At the Junior Pan American Games in Asunción, the next generation of U.S. talent announced itself in emphatic fashion. Naomi Ruff and Braxton Legg each earned gold medals, while Blake Bullard added a silver. The quartet of Ruff, Legg, Bullard, and Jimena de la Peña Schott capped off the event with gold in the Mixed Relay, as the U.S. led the overall medal count. 

Development athletes were a driving force throughout the season. Sixty-five of the 110 medals earned by U.S. athletes came at Continental Cups, Continental Championships, and World Para Cups, key proving grounds for athletes progressing through the elite pathway.

Beyond World Triathlon racing, U.S. athletes made headlines on the T100 and long-course circuits. Taylor Knibb delivered standout performances with podium finishes in San Francisco (2nd) and London (3rd), along with a victory in Vancouver. Knibb also added a silver medal at the 2025 IRONMAN 70.3 World Championships, adding to her world titles at 70.3 Worlds from 2022-2024. And while she ultimately did not finish the race, her gutsy battle with Lucy Charles-Barclay at the IRONMAN World Championships in Kona will be talked about for ages. 

Morgan Pearson enjoyed a strong T100 campaign as well, earning gold in Dubai and silver in Qatar, further highlighting the versatility and competitiveness of U.S. elites across race formats and distances.

None of this success happens in isolation. Behind every podium is a system built on coaching, camps, international racing opportunities, and long-term athlete development—made possible through the collective support of the USA Triathlon community and the USA Triathlon Foundation.

As the sport looks ahead to the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games, the momentum from 2025 is undeniable. From paratriathlon to juniors, from first-time podium finishers to multi-time world champions, U.S. triathletes are building something special.