Alexandria’s own André Arsenault came home as the national champion in the USA Triathlon Youth National Championships held in San Diego, California on August 14th of this year. André is 10 years old and a student at Alexandria Country Day School. He started competing in triathlons when he was 6. After winning several local races, André decided to take his talents on the road. He raced throughout Louisiana and Texas, winning every race he entered. He even set several course records along the way. Following this string of victories, he ultimately set his sights on the U.S. Nationals.
André knew moving up to the next level was not going to be easy. So he set out a rigorous training schedule which included all 3 aspects of a triathlon. To improve his speed and endurance on the run, he worked with Jeremy Huffman and Greg Daniel, coaches with the Rapides Junior Runners. When it came to swimming, he regularly practiced with the City of Alexandria Swim Team (C.O.A.S.T.). Finally, to improve his bike speed and handling skills, he joined the S-3 Bike Race Team and also participated in weekly rides with the Kisatchie Bike Club. After many months of hard work, André was finally ready for Nationals.
The competition was held at the Marine Corp Base in San Diego, California. Fifty of the nation’s top triathletes in his age group (9-10) competed. The course included a 100-yard swim, 5 kilometer bike and 1 kilometer run. The swim took place in the frigid San Diego Bay. Although André was not accustomed to such cold water (65°); he turned in the 5th best time in the competition. However, it was the next two legs of the race that set him apart from the rest. He recorded the fastest overall time in both the bike and run portions of the race. That propelled him into the overall lead with a winning time of 18 minutes, 59 seconds. It was André’s hard work and dedication that allowed him to reach his goal and take the crown as the 2010 USA Triathlon Youth National Champion. Congratulations André!
