Professional Triathlete Brett Saunders Speaks on One Community Podcast
Brett Saunders recently joined host Matt Scarborough as a guest on the One Community Podcast. Learn about Brett’s Olympic-sized goals and family of champions in this article and the podcast video that follows.
Brett Saunders, a Tampa, Florida based triathlete, pauses training and takes a rest day once a week, unlike his parents, who were also professional athletes and inspired Brett’s love of sports and competition—they still work out seven days a week.
Brett’s competitive start was in high school where he played tennis, but having two accomplished triathlete parents, Jocelyn and Blair Saunders, made its mark on Brett and was soon training with, or trying to keep up with them.
“I grew up doing a lot of different sports,” says Brett. “Not just because of [my parents], but just because I love doing sports.” Ultimately, Brett decided to focus on swimming in college—he graduated from University of Tampa in 2020—because triathlons weren't a NCAA sport option. “Once I'm done with triathlons, I'm gonna get back into tennis. It's still my favorite sport.”
How did Brett Saunder’s passion for sports coalesse into a career as a triathlete?
“It was always on my bucket list to do Ironman with my family,” says Saunders. When his dad invited him to do Ironman Florida in 2020, Brett’s senior year of college, Brett was in. By competing, he got the attention of the pro’s and recruiters alike. Brett says though he started in a later heat than the pro’s, he passed their top swimmer’s time by three minutes and he completed the race in 10 hours and 32 minutes. Afterwards the Canadian National Team recruited him to their team—Brett has dual citizenship.
Brett says swimming is his strong suit, and his times are on par with Olympic hopefuls. Biking is his next strength, and whether it’s nature or nurture, it doesn’t hurt that his father was on the Canadian Olympic team and won the Canadian road race in 1982. His father even beat him in the cycling portion of the Ironman, but Brett notes he quickly overcame his dad once the run began.
Brett has now set his goals on qualifying for the Olympics in 2028 and on breaking triathlon records. “My mom had the world record for a week for the fastest woman Ironman, so I always wanted to do that.”
A Bike Accident on Mother’s Day 2001
The conversation took on a somber tone when Brett relayed the story of how his mother, Jocelyn, was in a devastating bike accident on Mother’s Day; Brett was just four years old at the time. The accident was so menacing and physically damaging that it caused brain damage, required multiple surgeries including knee surgery and Jocelyn had to learn to walk all over again. Brett’s admiration of his mother is palpable as he shares that Jocelyn made a full recovery, and six years post-accident, she completed another Ironman. “I am so proud that she was able to do that,” Brett says.
As mentioned by Brett and Matt during the podcast, cyclists in Florida want to be sure to be riding and driving with the maximum amount of uninsured motorists insurance. That will help you receive compensation to cover your recovery costs after an accident, should you ever need it.
Hard Work is in His Nature
Brett is carrying on the legacy of hard word and championship established by his parents. At the tail end of the podcast, Matt asked Brett about his leadership style. “I think it's about practicing what you preach…I try to do the work and lead by example,” Brett says. “People are going to look at me and know that I'm training super hard. Maybe that will motivate them to work just as hard.” Brett is now a sponsored athlete, competing on the Scarborough Bicycle Accident Law team and keeping everyone very motivated.
Upcoming Events and Opportunities to See Brett Saunders
1/13/24 St. Pete Wendy Johnson 5K
1/14/24 Tampa Bay Frogman Swim | A Benefit to support Navy SEALS Foundation
Coming soon! Two Sunday group rides on SunCoast Trail per month. Follow @BicycleaccidentLaw and @BSaunders2 for details.
