Tyler Wallace has mastered the art of the triathlon.

A 2009 graduate and member of the ISU Triathlon Club, he’s competed in a number of races around central Iowa and beyond. A top finish at the June 19 Quad Cities Triathlon earned Wallace a trip that will take him far beyond the miles of Iowa cornfields and rows of soybeans. Wallace will be traveling nearly 5,000 miles to Budapest, Hungary, to represent Team USA in the International Triathlon Union’s World Cup Championship Grand Final.

At first glance, one wouldn’t pinpoint Wallace as a world-class athlete. The 24-year-old native of Dubuque has a tall, athletic frame topped with a head full of beach blonde hair. But his time as a member of the triathlon club, or Tri-Clones as they call themselves, gave Wallace the skills necessary to compete with the best athletes in his sport.

What does it take to qualify for an event like the ITU World Championship? Wallace finished the 600-yard swim, 15-mile bike and 3.1-mile run in 1 hour, 9 minutes and 31 seconds.

Wallace is 1 of fewer than 20 young men from across the country to represent Team USA in the 20–24 age group. Top athletes from more than 50 nations will travel to Budapest for the World Championships, taking place September 8–12.