U.S. Junior Triathlete Reese Vannerson Wins Silver at 2024 Junior World Championships

TORREMOLINOS, Spain — U.S. Junior triathlete Reese Vannerson (Sugar Land, Texas) won silver on Friday, Oct. 18 at the 2024 World Triathlon Junior World Championships.

Vannerson is a member of USA Triathlon’s elite development squad Project Podium, led by coach Parker Spencer, that trains up-and-comers and LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls in a group environment in Tempe, Arizona. A U.S. Junior Elite national champion, Vannerson has a strong running background with Texas 6A state titles in the 1,600 and 3,200 meters.

On Friday in Spain, Vannerson raced one of his best all-around swim-bike-run performances, leading on the run until France's Nils Serre Gehri outsprinted him down the blue carpet to win the Junior World Title in a time of 55 minutes, 10 seconds on the sprint-distance course.

"I love racing, especially with guys like this. That's why I do the sport, to be in moments like this. The second place really really hurts. I've been wanting this all year. When you've got Nils (Serre) who is such a great athlete beat you, it's bittersweet now, but I'm going to be so happy when this really sets in. This is probably the biggest day in my career so far," said Vannerson, who finished in 55:11. "I tried to sprint him but he got the best of me today. All the respect in the world to him. I raced to my strengths and I got beat, so there's nothing I can do about it now."

Vannerson had a strong swim to come out of the water 12 seconds back and he joined the chase group on the bike. The large chase group caught the lead group over the final lap of the bike, setting up the epic seven-deep duel on the 5k run.

Vannerson took control on the final long straightaway, with him and Serre pulling away from Frenchman Achille Besson. Vannerson was unable to match Serre's final surge, however, sprinting to silver, his second medal at Junior World Championships. He won bronze at the 2022 Junior World Championships in Montreal, in a race that was switched to a duathlon format.

All U.S. athletes who raced in the Junior and U23 World Championships are members of the Mallow Junior/U23 National Team Program.

In the women's Junior World Championships, U.S. Junior Jimena Renata De La Peña led the way for the red, white and blue, placing sixth. The 2024 USA Triathlon Junior Draft-Legal national champion, De La Peña recorded the day's sixth-fastest 5k to run her way into the top 10.