Top junior triathlete in US is no longer a Southport HS secret
SOUTHPORT, Ind. (WISH) — Wedged in the landlocked, basketball crazed community of Southport, 18-year-old Drew Shellenberger found water, a bike and some open road.
Then he hit the road.
“My first trip was to Brazilia, Brazil,” Shellenberger said of his first international junior triathlon competition. Later, “Ecuador, Argentina, Canada, Mexico and Switzerland.”
Of the all the sports that take you places, this is a surprise.
“I kind of enjoy being called crazy by all of my friends and it (triathlon) really gave me a home,” Shellenberger said. “I really just fell in love with all three sports individually and it helps to put them all together.”
In 2019, Shellenberger capped off a three-peat at the U.S. National High School Triathlon Championship and landed his biggest honor to date. The recent Southport High School graduate was named by U.S. Triathlon as the top junior male triathlete in America.
His old competition back home? Simply proud to be passed by.
“He is smoking me now in all three phases,” said Drew’s father, Todd Shellenberger, and then he laughed. “I wouldn’t even be in the same ZIP code as him if we chose to race a race, but again, if you are going to get beat by someone, it is great to get beat by your son.”
What does the one of the country’s top junior triathletes do for college? Shellenberger heads to Arizona State University in the fall, taking classes online and continuing training alongside Project Podium, the top U.S. developmental team.
The long term goal? A shot at the ultimate stage: the Summer Olympics.
“There is no reason I shouldn’t be looking at 2024 (in Paris); 2020 is just too soon,” Shellenberger said. “2024 and 2028 (in Los Angeles) seem to be pretty good dates,” he said. “Hopefully, I will be ready to go and in Olympic contention.”
If a crazy, far-fetched idea is slowing you down, pull a Drew Shellenberger and just keep dreaming.
