Matthew Mcelroy

Matt McElroy grew up in Huntington Beach, California, gaining early experience in open water swimming by working as a lifeguard and competing in surfing. He would also frequently join group rides in his hometown, which had a thriving local cycling community. He was a competitive track and cross country runner in high school, placing second at both the California CIF Cross Country Championships and the Footlocker Cross Country National Championships in 2009. He went on to run cross country and track for Oklahoma State University his freshman year, then Northern Arizona University for the remainder of his collegiate career. At NAU, he was a three-time All-American. McElroy was recruited to become an elite triathlete through the USA Triathlon Collegiate Recruitment Program.

McElroy earned his first ITU Triathlon World Cup medal in 2016, and has remained one of the top U.S. men on the ITU circuit ever since. In June 2019, he made history by becoming the first U.S. man to medal in an ITU World Triathlon Series race since 2009 — and the second ever to do so — by winning silver in Leeds, England. That race featured one of the most competitive fields in WTS history, including the “Magnificent Seven”: multi-time world champions Javier Gomez Noya and Mario Mola of Spain; defending Olympic gold and silver medalists Alistair and Jonny Brownlee of Great Britain; WTS leader Vincent Luis of France; and South African powerhouses Henri Schoeman and Richard Murray. McElroy and Australia’s Jacob Birtwhistle, who won the race, bested all of them. In 2022 he earned his first World Triathlon Cup gold medal by winning in Tongyeong, Korea.