York College student competes in USA Triathlon National Championships

Onasis Bisbal ’22 of York, Pennsylvania has been competing in triathlons for two years. Over the summer, he spent his days off from his part-time job at the York College Bookstore training from 9:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. During that time, he swam two to three miles, biked 30 to 50 miles, and ran four to eight miles.

Bisbal attributes a smooth start to participating in triathlons to his athletic background including competitive swimming in high school and an enjoyment of mountain biking and running. Still, he spends a lot of time training, normally between 25 to 30 hours per week.

During the semester, Bisbal is focused on his academic and athletic goals and decreases his training to accommodate his studies as a Biology major. Training no more than 20 to 25 hours per week, Bisbal admits, “sometimes I get really tired, but I try my hardest to push through it and get things done.

This summer, Bisbal competed at the USA Triathlon National Championships in Cleveland, Ohio where he placed 46th in the country in his category.” When asked if he would do anything differently, Onasis said, he’d “try to be more calm about the race, and not be as nervous because everyone else is nervous about it.” In September, he received his rankings in the 18-19 age category, and says he is 63rd in the country, and second in the state of Pennsylvania. If you want to see him in action, he plans to run in the 5K & Fun Run during Fall Fest & Homecoming Weekend.