Liberty triathletes Alex Schimmel (front), Ben Babcock, and Brady Schwartz draft off one another in a small pack during the Clermont EDR Draft-Legal Challenge Sprint.
Triathletes train for collegiate nationals with strong showings in Clermont Draft-Legal Challenge
3/5/2025 7:16:00 PM | Triathlon
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Liberty had several runners place in the men's and women's Enduro Draft-Legal Sprint races at Louisa Lake State Park near Orlando.
Members of Liberty University's men's and women's triathlon teams made the first of two trips to Florida this month to compete in the Clermont Draft-Legal Challenge near Orlando this past weekend.
In Saturday's U-25 EDR Draft-Legal Challenge Sprint, Flames sophomore Alex Schimmel finished 20th out of 79 competitors on the Lake Louisa State Park course that featured a 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer cycling stage, and 5K run with a time of 59 minutes, 2 seconds. He was followed by fellow Liberty sophomore Gabe Shreve, who placed 27th in 59:46.
Brady Schwartz came in 62nd in 1:05:07 and fellow Flames freshman Ben Babcock crossed the finish line 65th in 1:06:10.
For the women, senior Morgan Dalton was the fastest overall finisher in 1:07:44, completing the course 33rd out of 78 competitors, with Kendall Leininger placing 61st in 1:12:54 and Lydia Couric 70th in 1:17:02.
Sophomore Charlie Block competed in an Age Group super sprint race.
Also for Liberty, sophomore Charlie Block finished 20th out of 31 triathletes in Saturday's men's Age Group super sprint in 38:09.
On Sunday, Shreve set the pace for the Flames, finishing 16th out of 79 in 58:18, coming out of the water in 9:58 before completing the 20K cycling stage in 29:34 and the 5K run in 16:57. Schimmel followed in 31st place in 1:00:46 with Babcock (55th in 1:04:36) and Schwartz (56th in 1:04:49) also completing the race.
"As a team, the guys did very well," Shreve said. "Alex Schimmel came out of the water and attacked the bike and was our top finisher on Saturday. Our team captain, (junior) Brandon Schimmel, had a crash … and was not able to race on Sunday, but was still able to support the team."
Lady Flames sophomore Morgan Dalton rides out front in the cycling stage.
Dalton placed 28th out of 76 triathletes in the women's race in 1:08:03 followed by Leininger (47th in 1:11:49) and Couric (55th in 1:15:34). "Both days at Clermont were challenging, but it was so much fun to use my training to race," Dalton said. "Getting into a great draft pack both days was definitely a highlight."
She said the most memorable part of the trip was the times of fellowship with teammates and coaches.
"Traveling with the triathlon team is always such a blessing," Dalton said. "We get to hang out, train, worship the Lord, and just enjoy all that He has given us through this sport and this team."
"We went down to Georgia for the first couple of days, and did a little training on Jekyll Island, and went to the beach a couple of times and spent time with the team," Shreve added. "That was a lot of fun."
Head Coach Heather Gollnick said watching her triathletes compete in the sport she loves is gratifying because she can see their training produce positive results.
"As a coach, witnessing an athlete push through their limits and perform with grace is the satisfaction of seeing their hard work pay off," she said. "From a spiritual perspective, the triathlon is more than just a race it's s a journey of the soul, where each stroke, pedal, and step reflects the harmony of mind, body, and spirit aligning in perfect flow."
Shreve said competing in a draft-legal race produces faster times, and that besides benefiting on the bike, there is also a method for drafting in the swim, to swim in the wake of competitors to avoid currents or waves and have cleaner water to tread through.
"It's all about strategy," he said, noting the greatest aerodynamic effects are experienced in a cycling pack. "On Sunday, three of our triathletes were able to work together as a team for a portion of the races. Everybody works together, and everybody goes faster on the bike. My approach is stay in the pack and get ready for the run, but you don't want to be a bad sport and slack off on the bike. Ideally, everybody shares the load."
The Flames and Lady Flames will return to the Sunshine State for the March 28-29 USA Triathlon Collegiate National Championships hosted by the Homestead-Miami Speedway.
"We're going to bring everybody, and I am excited to see what my teammates can do in Miami," Shreve said.
