In tandem with the Americas Sprint Championship, the Americas Junior Championships will be taking place this weekend in Santa Marta, Colombia.
Several Junior athletes will be taking on the Senior race instead of the younger event. Foremost among this group will be three of America’s male representatives at the World Junior Championships.
Reese Vannerson, the 2022 World Junior Championships medallist, Luke Anthony, the North American Junior champion, and Carter Stuhlmacher will all be racing against the older counterparts. They finished 6th, 7th and 8th, respectively, at the World Junior Championships in Hamburg.
On the women’s side, the South American Junior champion, Dominga Elena Jacome Espinoza, will take on the Senior race too. In addition, Jimena Renata De La Peña Schott has opted out of the Junior race in favour of the Senior event.
De La Peña will be making her first start under World Triathlon colours having commenced her switch of sporting nationality from Mexico to the United States of America.
As the silver medallist from the World Junior Championships, De La Peña would have been the overwhelming favourite in a small field.
Even with their absences, though, there is still plenty of talent in the Junior event in Santa Marta.
Andree Buc, the South American Junior champion, headlines the men’s field. He finished 11th in Hamburg and has medalled in at the Americas Cup level this year. With plenty of strength on the bike and speed to burn on the run, he will likely be the favourite.
His compatriot, Andre Gras, should likewise be a contender.
Sage Sulentic will lead the Canadian team in Santa Marta. A strong swimmer, Sulentic finished 7th at the North American Junior Championships in April. With names like Anthony and Stuhlmacher out of the way (both beat him in Sarasota), Sulentic can look to claim a first international medal.
Thomas Castañeda Maldonado finished 4th at the South American Junior Championships and raced at the World Cup in Huatulco, alongside Buc and Gras. Meanwhile, Caua Diniz of Brazil finished a place behind Castañeda at the South American Junior Championships. Both have the ability to push for a place on the podium.
Arturo Guzmán Medina will carry the home hopes while Osvaldo Darell Zuñiga Fierro of Mexico might be the quickest runner in the field. Having finished 5th in Hamburg, Zuñiga will be a major threat in Santa Marta.
Zuñiga’s teammate, Karen Guadalupe Castro Rivas, may be Mexico’s best hope of a gold medal in the women’s race. Castro finished 14th at the Americas Junior Qualification Event in Punta Cana and is a well-balanced athlete. Paola Judith Zarate Leon should also be in the mix from the Mexican team.
Piera Charnay will lead the Chilean team in Santa Marta. She is coming off a win at a World Triathlon Regional Development Cup in Asuncion. Similarly, Bivian Andrea Luisita Diaz Fuentes won a Development Cup race in Amatique Bay in June.
From the Colombian team, Valentina Villa Ramirez will be a contender. In the absences of Jacome and De La Peña, though, the Junior women’s event will be a very open race.
