Triathlon academy gives dream shot to talented young athletes

Most triathletes first turn to the sport because it offers a sense of adventure. For four aspiring youngsters from different corners of the world, that opportunity has been supercharged.

The On Academy, launched in the privacy of an idyllic villa in Mallorca, is a new initiative to support four athletes between the ages of 18 and 22 as they attempt to turn potential into performance on the world stage.

The brainchild of former professional triathlete turned athlete manager, Maria Ortega, On has partnered with like-minded bike brand Canyon and wetsuit manufacturer Sailfish on the project in an attempt to give its new recruits the best chance of success in their sporting careers. 

As well as the initial 11-day training camp, the athletes are provided with kit and equipment, including road bikes, wetsuits and running shoes, plus financial support for travelling to races, and mentoring from the likes of London 2012 champion Nicola Spirig and five-time short course world champion Javier Gomez. But despite the investment from On, Ortega is determined to make it a pressure-free environment.  

“Together with the federations, brands are responsible for making the sport grow,” she said. “One of the biggest challenges is the pressure athletes face. Triathlon specifically is an expensive sport, but also the system to qualify for the Olympics is tough, especially on young athletes, and the sport takes time and experience. If I look back, I’d have been more patient with myself when I was 18-19. When we are young we should just want to enjoy it.”

That is the philosophy Ortega and her team are trying to instil in the academy’s four founding member athletes, Aspen Anderson (Australia), Jimena De La Peña (USA), Mathis Beaulieu (Canada) and Canyu Liu (China). The spread of nationalities is a deliberate choice to try to engage different cultures to broaden their experiences, and team bonding lies at the heart of the camp in the Balearics. 

While swimming, cycling and running remain the staple, other less familiar but fun activities include playing laser tag, learning batucada, a Brazilian drum ensemble, cart racing and a visit to explore the island’s Drach Caves.

There are also complementary workshops on yoga, breath work and nutrition to help their education as athletes, and all the food is on demand and beautifully prepared by renowned Mallorcan chef, Maria Salinas, who was also hired by the USA cycling team in the Paris Olympics. 

Gomez, whose career spanned more than two decades before retiring at the end of last year, admitted it was an opportunity he would have loved to have received as a young athlete making his way in triathlon.

“I think they’re on a cloud, right now,” he said. “They love training, they are really talented and they have a bright future, and this project should help them get to where they want to go. Some have more support from the federation, some have less, but just being able to focus on training and not worry about other things is definitely good as long as they can appreciate it, which I think they do.”

The athletes were unanimous in their praise for the experience so far. “When I first received the call, I didn’t think it was true,” said De La Peña, who trains in Arizona and finished sixth in last year’s junior World Championship. Anderson, who flew in from Australia’s Gold Coast and has three younger siblings, added that the company at the villa has already started to feel like a second family. 

Ortega sees the project as supporting athletes for an initial two years as they look to make the step up from junior competition to the senior ranks, and support could be extended thereafter. The academy might be expanded to up to six athletes ahead of the next Olympic in Los Angeles, but numbers will be capped and any new recruits will come through coach or federation recommendations to make sure they are a good fit both as athletes and personalities. 

She added: “We are not planning to have a coach for them because we understand that every athlete needs to find what works for him or for her, but we want to provide a structure and place where they can find peace of mind.”

Since On was launched in Zurich in 2010 by former Ironman pro Olivier Bernhard, it has boomed as a brand. Initially, Bernhard was looking for a product that gave the type of cushioning he hadn’t had through his own career, and this process led to On’s distinctively chunky lugs on the soles.

It has since expanded to a variety of sports markets including athletics and tennis and in 2020, it created the On Athletics Club for an elite group of world-class athletes based at a full-time training facility in Boulder, Colorado. The model has since expanded to other locations around the world. In tennis, 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer became an investor in 2019 and On now includes Poland’s world No 2 Iga Swiatek on the roster of sponsored athletes. 

“With the On Triathlon Academy, we’re not just providing gear and funding; we’re creating a supportive community where these athletes can develop their skills and achieve their dreams without unnecessary pressure,” said Bernhard. “This is about investing in the future of triathlon and empowering the next generation of champions.”

Meet the Academy Athletes

The On Triathlon Academy is proud to introduce its inaugural cohort of four talented young
triathletes:

● Aspen Anderson (AUS): Winner of the 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games
● Jimena De La Peña (USA): Second place at the 2023 Junior World Championships
● Mathis Beaulieu (CAN): Third at the 2023 Junior World Championships
● Canyu Liu (CHN): Winner of the 2024 Asia Triathlon U15 and Youth Championships in
Hong Kong