Kids filled Plymouth Park with their laughs, competitive spirit and cheering for friends on the morning of Saturday, July 20.
A total of 260 youths aged 6-15 swam, biked and ran in the annual Greater Midland Tri-Kids-Try youth triathlon - an increase from 224 participants in 2023.
Another 90 kids took part in the Mini Tri-Kids-Try for ages 3-5 on Friday night.
Gabe Jaime was competing in this triathlon for the third time, and he won his division last year. He said the triathlon makes him happy because he is doing it with his friends and because he feels good, healthy and accomplished.
“The swim was good, and then I wiped out on my first lap of the bike but got right back and kept going,” he said. “This year, (I like) just having all my friends here. Last year, it was really just me and Elliot (King). This year, I had a ton of my friends come and it was really awesome training with them and being here today.”
Jaime’s friend, Elliot King, said this is his fourth year at the triathlon and he knew what to expect.
“It’s also something to keep you healthy and that’s a cool aspect of it, because it incorporates staying healthy and fit with having fun,” he said.
Abe Blaskowski, another triathlete, shared that the hardest part of the triathlon is the transitions between swimming, biking and running.
“Swimming definitely killed me, but it was super fun,” he said. “The environment was great; everyone was cheering (us) on.”
Erica McDaniel came to cheer for her son, Max, and watch him complete the triathlon for the third time.
The event is organized in a way that kids start the triathlon in waves. Max is 6 years old, and he was competing in wave 55.
McDaniel said the event was a great opportunity for kids who like to do sports and compete.
“It's a fun time just to watch our son have a good time, compete with his friends, and a good family-friendly event that we enjoy just being a part of,” she said.
Kathy Carpenter, a volunteer at the triathlon, was handing out water to the racers at the finish line.
“It’s a great way for the kids to stay active and be competitive, and it’s a beautiful day for it,” she said.
Carpenter said she moved to Midland a couple of years ago, and the event was an opportunity to get involved in the community and have fun.
Alec Brown, another athlete, said the triathlon means connecting with the community as well. He said this was his first year participating in the triathlon, and it was special because his friends were there.
“It was very fun,” he said. “I got to do it with all my friends ... and come out here with all the people that I like the most and just enjoy the race.”
King, one of Brown’s friends, agreed.
“It was a lot more fun this year because I had a lot of friends here,” he said. “It’s really a good community event, and everyone is super supportive, cheering you along throughout the entire race.”
