The Greatest Promise of Spanish Triathlon is from Alicante

The University of Alicante celebrates David Cantero's victory this weekend in the Valencia Triathlon World Cup 2024, one of the most demanding events on the world circuit. Cantero, only 20 years old, became the first athlete to win the World Cup twice consecutively at the same venue, a milestone achieved after being the youngest to conquer the event last year.

The competition, part of the world triathlon circuit and awarding crucial points for Olympic qualification and the World Championship, was held in sprint format, which included 750 meters of swimming, 20 kilometers of cycling, and 5 kilometers of running. Cantero began the event with an excellent performance in the swimming segment, staying in the second lead group and exiting the first transition in a strategic position. In cycling, Cantero's group managed to reduce the gap, reaching the second transition among the top 35 athletes. During the running segment, Cantero took the lead in the final kilometers, securing victory with a time of 49:48.

This triumph not only consolidates Cantero, a student of Physical Activity and Sports Sciences, as one of the great promises of world triathlon but also propels him towards his upcoming international challenges, such as the European Triathlon Championship in Vichy, France, and the U23 World Championship in Torremolinos, where UA athlete Roberto Sánchez Mantecón will also compete.

In addition to Cantero, two other triathletes from the University of Alicante competed in Valencia with outstanding performances. Mathis Beaulieu, only 19 years old, completed his third participation in a World Cup and achieved an impressive 11th place, demonstrating his continuous progression on the international circuit after securing second place in the Huatulco World Cup this year. In the female category, Jimena de la Peña, only 17 years old and representing the United States, achieved a commendable 24th position in her first experience at this level of competition, highlighting her future potential in international triathlon.

"We are very proud of David's, Mathis's, and Jimena's results, which reflect the effort and dedication of the University of Alicante's triathlon team," said Roberto Cejuela, team director and also director of UA's Sports Secretariat. He also emphasized that "our university continues to support high-performance sports by providing our athletes with the necessary support to balance their studies with a successful sports career."

With this victory, Cantero reinforces the excellent level of triathlon training at the University of Alicante, which continues to prepare its athletes for both U23 and absolute World Championships to be held in Malaga in mid-October.