Thursday, October 1, 2026
Matteo Somma, a 17-year-old elite triathlete, follows his training plans with the discipline of a drill sergeant and the patience and foresight of a man twice his age. In the past few weeks, he has been riding a victory high.
Last month, the Malverne resident captured the M16-19 age group world title for Team USA at the Sprint Triathlon World Championships in Torremolinos, Spain. Closer to home, he finished 19th in the New York State Cross Country Championships. He says his relentless regiment, refined and built on over the years, has helped him come this far.
“I really just enjoy the everyday aspect of training and getting up and having a structured plan to look forward to throughout the day,” Somma said. “I want to be the best.”
Equipped with his racing bike, Somma flew thousands of miles to compete with other teen athletes from dozens of countries. He clocked the fastest overall time across all age groups, a blistering 1 hour, 4 minutes, 6 seconds for the 750-meter swim, 20-kilometer bike ride and 5-kilometer run.
“In terms of specific training leading up to this specific event, I typically train about 20-hour training weeks, swimming six days a week, running six to seven days a week and biking around five times a week,” he said. “Even on school days.”
The relentlessly competitive demands of his sport keep Somma from becoming conceited about his win. He acknowledges his margin of victory against the runner-up, Javier Linares Olalla of Spain, was razor-thin — 15 seconds.
“Take a look at the first top 10 guys who did finish in that race. Any one of the 10 of us could have won that day,” Somma said. “It’s anyone’s game, anytime.”
The Valley Stream North High School senior was fresh off finishing the 5K event at Eisenhower Park last Saturday in 16 minutes flat when he finished second place at the county state qualifier meet for State Class B. Finishing second overall propelled him to a spot in the state championships.
“Placing 19th in the championship race allowed me to earn All-State honor, helping Nassau County win the championships in a really long time,” he said.
To keep in tip-top shape, Somma relies on his supportive net of mentors, family, friends, and fellow athletes.
“We used to have a nutritionist who kind of oversaw all my nutrition to make sure I was eating correctly,” he said, a task now delegated to his mom. “She balances all my different meals, and she makes sure that I’m recovering properly after my workouts. That way I don’t get burned out and I don’t get injured.”
But injuries inevitably occur at his level of intensity.
“I have dealt with my fair share of stress fractures,” noted Somma, tiny cracks in the series of bones that cause aches and inflammation, are relatively common among runners, who subject their feet to constant pressure.
Somma says a stress fracture can leave him on the mend for six to eight weeks. But rather than eschew training altogether, he finds creative workarounds. His coach and mentor, Ryan Siebert, oversees his training and has played an indispensable role in eliminating the uncertainty and guesswork of unsupervised workouts.
“He himself is a professional triathlete, so he is kind of an inspiration for me and other triathletes working jobs while also competing,” he said. “It shows the juggling game that they are doing and how much that they do.”
His fierce dedication spills over into other aspects of his life.
“I hope to go on to study pre-med at Wingate University with my eventual goal of becoming a doctor in sports medicine,” he said.
