Thousands of athletes and volunteers descend on St. Petersburg for Florida's most scenic race.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla., April 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Sam Appleton and Annie Fuller powered to hard-earned victories Sunday morning in the 43rd St. Anthony's Triathlon along St. Petersburg's scenic downtown waterfront, besting a talented field of Olympians, world champions, Ironman competitors and professionals.

Appleton completed the 1.5K swim, 40K bike and 10K run in 1:44:36 to lead the men and Fuller crossed the tape in 1:57:16 to top the women. This was the first St. Anthony's title for each athlete.

Greg Harper finished second among the men in 1:44:43 and Marc Dubrick, the winner for the last two years, finished third in 1:45:23.

Appleton, who last raced the St. Anthony's Triathlon 10 years ago, was glad to be back.

"It's a great experience, just a great vibe out here," Appleton said. "It was a super fun technical bike ride through the city and a run through beautiful residential areas with people posted out on their front lawns cheering us on."

For the women, Fuller won by more than a minute. Rounding out the podium, Amelie Kretz finished in second place in 1:58:30 and Grace Alexander, last year's women's winner, came in third in 1:59:14.

Overcoming recent injuries and setbacks to earn the win brought Fuller to tears.

"It was just really emotional," she said. "This is my favorite race. They take care of us here and it's so much fun. Wonderful."

In the Sprint Triathlon (750m swim, 20K bike, 5K run), the top three women were Avalyn Thompson (1:04:42), Katherine Kinkead (1:06:10) and Ella Harmon (1:06:33). The top three male finishers were Miguel Machado (1:01:15), Alcides De Quesada (1:01:40) and Leonardo Medina (1:02:49).

This year's Olympic- and Sprint-distance events were part of the USAT State Championship Pilot Program for Florida. The Meek & Mighty event was a part of USA Triathlon's Youth State Series. And we also had a 2026 USAT Para Nationals Qualifier – Adaptive Sprint. The Olympic-distance event has a reputation throughout the triathlon community as an essential race for any triathlon resume.

Nearly 3,000 amateur and professional athletes participated in this year's races which started with Saturday's Meek & Mighty Triathlon for youth and novice adults.

"We appreciate every athlete, sponsor, fan and volunteer who came out to make this such a special event," said race director Patrick McGee. "The unwavering support from our community and the triathlon community help make this event better each year."

Dates for next year's 44th St. Anthony's Triathlon will be announced soon. Registration for the 2027 event will open soon.
 

About St. Anthony's Hospital

St. Anthony's Hospital is a 448-bed hospital founded in 1931 as a ministry of the Franciscan Sisters of Allegany. The hospital has a rich history dedicated to improving the health of the community by providing high-quality, innovative and compassionate care, and recently opened a new patient tower with 90 private rooms. Part of BayCare Health System, St. Anthony's Hospital is located at 1200 Seventh Avenue North in St. Petersburg, Florida. For more information: BayCare.org/SAH. 

About BayCare Health System

BayCare is a leading not-for-profit health care system that connects individuals and families to a wide range of services at 16 hospitals and hundreds of other convenient locations throughout the Tampa Bay and central Florida regions. Inpatient and outpatient services include acute care, primary care, imaging, laboratory, behavioral health, home care, and wellness. Its mission is to improve the health of all we serve through community-owned, health care services that set the standard for high-quality, compassionate care.

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SOURCE St. Anthony’s Hospital