Alumni in Action: EagleVail brothers are shooting for 2028 Los Angeles Olympics

The 2024 Paris Olympics are well underway, but two Eagle County brothers already have their eyes on the Los Angeles Games in four years.

Sullivan and Porter Middaugh were recently featured on Supertri’s YouTube series, ‘The Next Generation of Triathlon.’ The roughly four-minute segment went live on July 22 and highlights how the brothers’ athletic aspirations has grown alongside their close relationship. The Battle Mountain alumni are currently pursuing their Olympic dreams through Project Podium, a USA Triathlon elite development program based out of Arizona State University.

“My brother and I push each other further every day,” Sullivan Middaugh stated at the beginning of the clip. “Our goal is to make it to the Olympics and it would be incredible to be on the start line together.”

“Being the younger brother, I was always chasing him a little bit,” added Porter Middaugh. “So we were always super competitive.”

The brothers’ dad, Josiah, is a 15-time XTERRA USA champion and was the 2015 XTERRA World Champion. Sullivan claimed the 2022 and 2023 titles and also won the newly-rebranded 2024 North American championship.

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“It’s really a dream come true to have Sullivan passing me by,” Josiah Middaugh said on the video. “He’s way ahead of anywhere I was. I didn’t even start triathlon until I was 23.”

Porter Middaugh joined the Project Podium team after a senior season which saw him place sixth at the Nike Cross National Championships in the fall and run 8:41.05 in the 3200-meters last spring, one of the fastest times in U.S. prep history.

“Porter is coming into the program with one of the best high school running careers in the country,” Parker Spencer, the Project Podium coach, added before providing historical context for Project Podium’s formation. In 2016, Gwen Jorgensen — who was identified through USA Triathlon’s Collegiate Recruitment Program — produced the nation’s first triathlon Olympic gold medal.

“But we haven’t had that same level of success for the men,” said Spencer, who was given the job of replicating Jorgensen’s success on the men’s side. “Project Podium exists to put a male athlete on the podium at the 2028 Olympics.”

Sullivan Middaugh got another taste of international competition this April when he placed 17th at the Supertri E World Championships in London. Great Britain is the home of Alistair Brownlee, the 2012 and 2016 Olympic triathlon gold medalist. His brother, Jonathan, took bronze and silver, respectively, in those two Games. In the YouTube segment, Spencer compared the Middaugh brothers to the British stars.

“What really helped make them great was that they had each other and that they had each other to to be able to train with, compete with, travel (with) and (have) someone that they really trust,” the coach said. “With Sullivan and Porter, you have the same dynamic — they are stronger together than they are apart.”

Sullivan Middaugh has had a successful spring and summer. He won his first Continental Cup event at the 2024 Americas Triathlon Cup in Calima, Columbia, on May 5. More recently, he placed sixth overall at the Americas Triathlon Cup in Magog, Canada on July 14. His younger brother placed fourth overall at the USA Triathlon junior elite national championships in West Des Moines, Iowa on July 13.

“The ultimate goal is making it to the Olympics one day and it’s going to be in the United States in 2028,” Sullivan said. “I’m really excited for Porter to be joining the team. We’re best friends.”

Eagle County golfers miss cut at Colorado Open

Four Eagle County golfers missed the cut at the Colorado Open, held at Green Valley Ranch in Denver from July 25-28.

Former Eagle Valley High School star Barrett Jones, who tied for third at the Colorado Open Qualifier held at Eagle Ranch Golf Club earlier this month, shot an 84 in his first round before coming back with a 70 on the second day. Jones shot three-under par on the back nine during the second round, highlighted by an eagle on the 12th hole.

Jones’ 154 put him 12 shots off of making the 71-player cut.

Roberto Lebrija was four shots off the lead after his first-round 69. The Edwards golfer made four birdies on the front nine; he shot a 75 in the second round for a 144, but still missed the cut as well.

Fellow Edwards golfers Derek Brown and Joshua Cumming finished at 149 (74-75) and 150 (78-72), respectively.

Aurora’s Davis Bryant and Basalt’s Jim Knous both shot a 19-under 265 through four rounds, with Bryant winning the play-off on the 18th hole to claim the $100,000 champion’s purse.