Ryan Aytona, a 23-year-old triathlete born in the United States to Filipino parents, completed the 2026 Ultraman Florida in February, finishing the roughly 320-mile endurance race in 32 hours, 42 minutes, and 13 seconds.
Held in Clermont, Florida, from February 13 to 15, the three-day event required Aytona to swim 6.2 miles, cycle 261 miles, and run a 52.4-mile double marathon. He crossed the final finish line ahead of the official cutoff.
“I felt great and relieved that I finished the race ahead of the cut off time,” he shared with TGFM.
Aytona was diagnosed with autism at 18 months old and has a speech disability. He communicates largely through his performances on the course and, away from competition, through painting. His training is guided by coaches Jerome Bareth and KC Northup of Team B2G, along with his father, Ronald Aytona, who also serves as one of his coaches.
The athlete said he is drawn to the sport’s most demanding conditions. “I like to race in Ironman because racing in Ironman is very chaotic and stressful for neurodivergent athletes,” he said. “It is a sensory overload, but it challenges me to push my limits and prove that limits are meant to be broken.” He added that the run is his favorite segment because it makes him feel “fast and strong going to the finish line.”
Aytona joined Special Olympics Florida in 2018 and began competing in triathlons in 2020. According to his family, he is a three-time Special Olympics Florida state triathlon champion and recently placed third overall at the Special Olympics European Open Triathlon in Šamorín, Slovakia, where he competed independently against athletes from other countries. He has also completed three full Ironman triathlons, and his team describes him as the first known neurodivergent athlete to finish an Ultraman.
He is now training for three major endurance events: the Ironman World Championship in Kona, Hawaii, in October 2026; the TCS New York City Marathon in November 2026; and the Long Haul 100, a 100-mile ultramarathon in Dade City, Florida, in January 2027. Aytona said Kona is the race he most anticipates.
“I’m excited about going to Kona because I have worked so hard to get there, and I’m ready to take on the challenge,” he said.
His father framed his son’s progress as significant beyond the results. “Ryan isn’t just overcoming barriers; he is completely redefining the upper limits of human endurance,” Ronald Aytona said.
Between races, Aytona said he does paint-by-numbers scenes of places he has visited. “It keeps my mind focused and relaxed outside of sports,” he said.
