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U.S. Elite Triathletes to Race for World Titles Sept 23-27 at 2026 World Triathlon Championship Finals Pontevedra

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by Kennedy Terry

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. - Forty-five USA TRI Elite, Elite Para, U23, and Junior triathletes will represent the United States, Sept. 23-27 at the 2026 World Triathlon Championship Finals in Pontevedra, Spain. 

The four-day competition will bring together the world’s top triathletes to race for world titles, with U.S. athletes competing in a variety of individual and team events throughout the week. 

Elite and U23 athletes will complete a 1,500-meter swim in the Rio Lérez, followed by a 40-kilometer bike and 10k run. Elite Para and Junior athletes will race a 750m swim, 20k bike and a 5k run. 

The weekend will also feature a Triathlon Mixed Relay, giving athletes the opportunity to represent the United States in team events. The top Junior and U23 athletes will compete in the Junior/U23 Mixed Relay World Championship, with teams consisting of two men and two women. Each athlete will complete a 250m swim, 5k bike, and 1.5k run. Elite Para athletes will also compete in the Para Mixed Relay World Championship, with relay teams comprised of four athletes completing a 125m swim, 3.8k bike, and .8k run. 

Meet the U.S. athletes competing across Elite, U23, Elite Para and Junior events below. 

For the full event schedule, results and updates from Pontevedra, visit the website here. 

USA TRI Junior World Championships Team 

The first World Championship titles of race week are up for grabs Thursday, Sept. 24 at the Junior World Championships. 

Representing the U.S. men are Brice Allen (Rogers, Ark.), Nathanael Hamilton (Fort Worth, Texas), and Graham Hummel (Richardson, Texas), while Louise Delgado (Marietta, Ga.), Amelia Avila (Olney, Md.), and Jenna Gilhooley (Sioux Falls, S.D.) race for the women. 

USA TRI U23 World Championships Team 

The next generation of U.S. elite athletes will compete on Saturday, Sept. 25 in the U23 Triathlon World Championships. 

Keller Norland (Corvallis, Ore.), Porter Middaugh (Vail, Colo.), Blake Bullard (Southlake, Texas) and Carter Stuhlmacher (Clermont, Fla.) will represent the U.S. men, while Kelly Wetteland (Los Alamos, N.M.), Joy Gill (San Antonio, Texas), Chelsea Webber (Colorado Springs, Colo.), Faith Duncan (Lebanon, Ohio), and Naomi Ruff (West Chicago, Ill.) take on the women’s race. 

USA TRI Elite Paratriathlon World Championships Team 

Twenty-one elite paratriathletes, including two guides, will race for world titles at the 2026 World Triathlon Para Championships on Sept. 25. 

Grace Norman (Bloomington, Ind., PTS5) looks to claim her third consecutive world title in the category, while Chris Hammer (Gilbert, Ariz., PTS5) returns to defend his 2025 title. 

The field also features several 2024 Paris Paralympians, including Howie Sanborn (Albuquerque, N.M., PTWC), Mohamed Lahna (Hayward, Calif., PTS2), Carson Clough (Charlotte, N.C., PTS4), Owen Cravens (Algonquin, Ill., PTVI), guided by Kevin McDowell (Geneva, Ill.), Kendall Gretsch (Downers Grove, Ill., PTWC), Emi Perry (Philadelphia, Pa., PTWC), Hailey Danz (Colorado Springs, Colo., PTS2), and Kelly Elminger (San Antonio, Texas, PTS4). 

Additionally, elite paratriathletes racing include Justin Pines (Lafayette, Calif., PTWC), Kyle Stepp (Albuquerque, N.M., PTS2), Lucas Jundt (Grafton, Wis., PTS3), and Zachary Osborne (Raleigh, N.C., PTS3). On the women’s side are Danielle Cummings (Albuquerque, N.M., PTS4), Virginia Ogburn (Charlotte, N.C., PTS5), Kassandra Case (Knoxville, Tenn., PTS3) and McClain Hermes (Gainesville, Ga., PTVI), guided by Lisa Becharas (Northbrook, Ill.). 

USA TRI Elite World Championships Team 

The elite women and men compete last on Saturday, Sept. 26 and Sept. 27, respectively. 

The team is led by Taylor Spivey (Redondo Beach, Calif.) fresh off of a silver medal performance at the World Triathlon Championship Series Karlovy Vary, and fellow 2024 Paris Olympic silver medalists Morgan Pearson (New Vernon, N.J.), and Seth Rider (Germantown, Tenn.), in addition to 2016 Rio Olympic Gold medalist Gwen Jorgensen (Boulder, Colo.) and Kirsten Kasper (North Andover, Mass.)

Joining them are Gina Sereno (Madison, Wis.), Danielle Orie (Buffalo, N.Y.), Erika Ackerlund (Helena, Mont.), John Reed (Virginia Beach, Va.), Reese Vannerson (Sugarland, Texas), and Braxton Legg (Tampa, Fla.). 

HOW TO WATCH  

Fans can watch the Elite, Para, U23, and Junior World Championship racing live and on-demand on TriathlonLive.tv. Buy your pass here to subscribe. 

Thursday, Sept. 24 

Junior Women: 4:15 a.m. ET / 1:15 a.m. PT (10:15 a.m. local time) 

Junior Men: 5:45 a.m. ET / 2:45 a.m. PT (11:45 a.m. local time) 

Friday, Sept. 25 

Paratriathlon: 4 a.m. ET / 1 a.m. PT (10 a.m. local time) 

U23 Women: 9:35 a.m. ET / 6:35 a.m. PT (3:35 p.m. local time) 

U23 Men: 11:35 a.m. ET / 8:35 a.m. PT (5:35 p.m. local time) 

Saturday, Sept. 26 

Elite Women: Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT (6 p.m. local time) 

Sunday, Sept. 27 

Paratriathlon Mixed Relay: 3 a.m. ET / Midnight PT (9 a.m. local time) 

Junior/U23 Mixed Relay: 5 a.m. ET / 2 a.m. PT (11 a.m. local time) 

Elite Men: Noon ET / 9 a.m. PT (6 p.m. local time) 

About USA Triathlon 

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 Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).