One race changed everything for Avalyn Thompson. What began as “just an international race” ended with the 17-year-old earning the chance to carry the Stars and Stripes at the Youth Olympic Games.

Thompson, from Altamonte Springs, Florida, will be the only U.S. triathlete competing at the 2026 Youth Olympic Games in Dakar, Senegal, on Nov. 5-6. Her ticket to Senegal was earned with a second-place finish at the 2026 Americas Triathlon North American Junior Championships in La Paz, Mexico, in March.

The result caught even Thompson by surprise. “I definitely didn’t expect it at first,” she told Olympics.com. “I just went in thinking, ‘Oh, an international race, just really cool to do.'”

But as the race progressed, her mindset changed. “And then we were starting the run and I’m like, ‘Oh, I actually have a chance, I could podium at this thing.’ And I just gave it my all and it worked out.” That podium finish eventually opened the door to Dakar. Since Youth Olympic quota spots are allocated to countries rather than individual athletes, Thompson still had to wait for confirmation that the U.S. would receive a place.

When the email finally arrived, it hardly felt real. “We didn’t know if we were getting a bid yet, so it was really cool to get the email — ‘We’ve been selected for the Games, and if we get the bid, you’re going,'” Thompson recalled. “I’m like, ‘Whoa.’ It’s just a surreal experience.”

Now, the Florida high school senior is preparing for an entirely new challenge. The Atlantic Ocean awaits her in Senegal, along with conditions she has never experienced at the Youth Olympics.

Rather than trying to predict everything that could happen, Thompson is taking a simpler approach. “Right now we’re just training in a bunch of different conditions.”

She revealed that she has been doing a little of everything in the hope that it will set her up in the best possible way.

Does Avalyn Thompson feel the pressure of being USA’s sole triathlete in Dakar?

Being the lone U.S. triathlete in Dakar carries a certain weight, but Thompson isn’t letting it become a burden. “It’s definitely a little bit of both,” she admitted when asked about the pressure. “I do feel the responsibility, but at the same time it’s also just a crazy experience.”

Her attitude is simple: embrace the opportunity and see where it takes her. “I’m so glad that I got picked. I’m just going to give it my all, and we’ll see how that works out.”

That mentality has been part of Thompson’s journey for years. She began swimming and running competitively at just five years old and completed her first triathlon at eight. By 12, she was racing in the USA Triathlon Junior National Series.

Now a rising senior at Lake Brantley High School, Thompson somehow balances triathlon with varsity cross country, track and field, and swimming. She also trains with the SLAP Tri Team in Clermont, Florida, under coaches Sara McLarty and Jodie Stimpson.

The results have followed. Thompson is a three-time USA Triathlon All-American and a two-time Florida State High School Triathlon Sprint Champion. She has also been named MVP of her high school cross country team three times.

For USA Triathlon Talent Development Manager Tommy Zaferes, the significance of Thompson’s selection goes beyond one race. According to him, it’s a huge milestone for her and her selection is a reflection of her commitment and growth as an athlete.

Thompson seems ready for whatever Dakar throws at her. “The wind could be bad, it could be really choppy, there could be rocks in the water, like La Paz,” she said. Having said that, she also added, “There’s no point in being scared, because I’m doing this either way… I might as well enjoy it.”

And there is a bigger dream waiting beyond Dakar…

Thompson hopes to compete in NCAA Division I triathlon after high school, with the Olympics ultimately sitting at the end of the road. She was especially intrigued to learn that fellow American Taylor Knibb also competed at the Youth Olympic Games before becoming a two-time Olympic silver medalist.

But for now, the focus is fully on Dakar. And when the 17-year-old dives into the Atlantic, she won’t just be racing for herself. She’ll be the lone American carrying the country’s triathlon hopes with her.