Former Jesuit High #1 Triathlete in the World

U.S. elite triathlete Mark Fretta placing second at an event in Tempe, Arizona Photo Courtesy: usatriathlon.org

ISHIGAKI, Japan - On April 16th, Mark Fretta `95 took 6th place in the 2006 ITU (International Triathlon Union) Triathlon World Cup in Ishigaki, Japan, ranking him #1 in the world. He needed to finish in the top six in order to become #1 in the world.

The world ranking system at the elite level of triathlon is measured with points obtained at World Cup races. The top 20 race finishers are awarded with points and accrued points determine one's world rank.

The race fields are limited to 80 athletes selected by their countries to fill limited country slots. There are 15 World Cups a year. The races are relatively spread out (time-wise) with one to two races monthly.

Training for Fretta is seven days a week, five hours of working out a day, swimming five to six kilometers a day, bike riding two to three hours a day and approximately running 12 miles a day.

Fretta's athletic influences include all of his coaches in the sport of triathlon and the coaches who helped him to discover his talents in high school.

"Tom Rothenberger, my track and cross country coach while I was at Jesuit, coaxed me into coming out for the track and cross country teams and showed me that I had the ability to be a solid runner," he said.

Fretta is the second American male ever to hold a #1 world rank. The only other male to accomplish this was Hunter Kemper who, in reaching the #1 world rank last year, beat out athletes such as Lance Armstrong and Michael Phelps.

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