Dr. Phillips High swimmer Luis Ortiz doubles as terrific triathlete -- Observer Preps

DR. PHILLIPS For Luis Ortiz, a junior at Dr. Phillips High, each triathlon is an accomplishment.

After months of hard work and training in the water and out on the road, there is that moment of crossing the finish line. 

And Ortiz is often one of the first few people to do so.

“It’s very rewarding,” Ortiz said. “After going through all the pain in the race, but also enjoying it, it’s a relief to finish it and be proud of yourself.”

Of course, when the native Puerto Rican crossed the finish line at the 2017 USA Triathlon High School Championship April 21 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, the feeling was a little more rewarding than usual. That’s because, in a field of more than 100 athletes, Ortiz placed second with a time of 1:04:16 — less than two minutes behind national champion Andrew Shellenberger’s 1:02:35.

“I knew there was going to be a lot of competition,” Ortiz said, reflecting on the competition. “It was a very tough competition — everybody trained hard.”

Following his strong showing at the national event last month, Ortiz now is refocusing on Junior Elite Nationals in West Chester, Ohio, in August — an event in which he previously placed in the top 10.

Ortiz’s success is impressive enough on its own but becomes all the more so when one considers that the local youth was almost killed while training back in 2015. Ortiz was doing a practice run of the cycling portion of a course in Wisconsin when he was hit by a car, launching him from his bike. 

Arriving at the hospital with a broken nose and several cuts and scratches to his face, doctors feared the possibility of permanent damage, but an MRI showed there were no fractures or long-term damage.

“(My parents are) the most supportive they can be. They’re always there with me. My mom is the one who signs me up for all the races; she handles all that business stuff. My dad is always there for the training and the nutrition, all of that.”

Still, Ortiz had to have surgery and spent a month in the hospital. When he returned to training, his injuries necessitated modified methods — swimming with his head above water, for instance — and Ortiz said it set him back at least three months.

Then, there was the matter of getting back out on the open road for cycling training after the incident in Wisconsin.

“It wasn’t as traumatizing as people might think, but it sure was scary,” Ortiz said. “Now, I pay more attention to the cars.”

As a triathlete, Ortiz works with several coaches, including his swim coach, Alan Pfau, at the YMCA Aquatic Center on International Drive; his triathlon coach, Hector Torres; and his father, Luis Ortiz Sr. Then, of course, there are his swim coaches at Dr. Phillips High, where he competes for the varsity swim team in the fall.

“I learn a lot from each one of them,” Ortiz said. “It’s just one big team that comes together.”

Although he has had significant success out on the triathlon circuit, Ortiz said he enjoys his time competing for the Panthers in the pool. 

“It’s definitely a lot better than competing by yourself,” he said. “I just feel like I have the whole school backing me up — all the coaches that have helped me in cross country and swimming.”

Ortiz also ran cross-country for Dr. Phillips as a freshman, but because the two sports overlap in the fall, he has had to stick with just swimming.

The initial bug to give triathlons a try was planted by his father back when Ortiz was in sixth grade. Running and swimming were a big part of his training for tennis at the time, so his father suggested he give a triathlon in Clermont a shot. 

He was hooked.

Now, his parents are a part of his “team,” helping him navigate the ultra-competitive junior circuits of the sport.

“(My parents are) the most supportive they can be,” Ortiz said. “They’re always there with me. My mom is the one who signs me up for all the races; she handles all that business stuff. My dad is always there for the training and the nutrition, all of that.”

And as he continues his career, he is buoyed by the advice of his parents.

“I can do whatever I want,” Ortiz said. “But (I have to) just do it right and attempt to be the best at it.”

Contact Steven Ryzewski at [email protected].