CHICAGO (WLS) — The city’s youngest competitors dove into Lake Michigan on Saturday, signaling the beginning of the 2025 Supertri Chicago Kids Triathlon at Foster Beach.

Officials say the Supertri Chicago Triathlon is the largest in its series with more than 7,500 people swimming, running and cycling through the city.

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Seven-hundred kids ranging in age from 7 to 14 took on a challenging endurance event on Saturday.

“It’s, like, really fun and it feels really good afterwards,” said kids’ triathlon competitor Lucy Hartman.

These inspiring athletes took on a 200-meter swim, a 4-mile bike ride and a just over 1-mile run.

Aydin Bokhari-Jaksich said he decided to compete in his first kids’ triathlon on Saturday, “Because I like running and swimming and biking.”

His mom, Aalya Bokhari, could not be prouder.

“I’m amazed. He seemed like a pro out there, staying calm and fully aware of what to do, and he enjoyed himself. That’s exactly what I advised him to focus on,” she remarked.

Caroline Boismery’s son, Liam, also hammered out his very first triathlon and says he competed to raise money for the AIDS Foundation of Chicago.

“He had a blast. I felt really proud of him during practice, too. We trained a few times. It was a bit challenging to get the transitions correct initially, but he excelled and had enormous fun,” she noted.

When asked why he wanted to compete, Liam said, “Because I’m a sporty boy and I really like sports.”

Last year, Supertri’s Chicago Triathlon raised over $50,000 for Laurie Children’s Hospital, and this year they aim to double that contribution.

One stroke, pedal and step at a time, these young athletes are making Chicago proud.

The morning continued with the Supersprint race kicking off at 10 a.m. That is the perfect race for, perhaps, some newcomers to the sport.

But the main event is the Supersprint League races, which feature some of the top professional triathletes in the world.