Down syndrome no barrier for teen Jacksonville triathlete seeking Guinness record

"No limits."

That's the mantra of Caleb Prewitt, 16, of Jacksonville who recently became the apparent youngest person with Down syndrome to complete an Olympic distance triathlon. That's also been the mantra his parents, Karen and David Prewitt, have followed in raising him.

Early on, his doctors focused on the health issues and cognitive delays that can stem from Down, rather than their son's potential.

"The news wasn’t delivered in a positive light," Karen Prewitt said. "We weren’t given much encouragement in the possibilities … of what his future would look like. Unfortunately, still today, the medical community still very much views Down syndrome as a negative outcome."

But Caleb has turned into a high-achieving athlete.

After years of swimming, soccer, paddleboarding and other athletic endeavors, at age 14 he joined Special Olympics Florida's triathlon team at 14 as its youngest member. Since then, he has completed 24 triathlons, 18 of which were short-distance triathlons, as well as the River Run 15K and multiple 5K and Special Olympics events.

On Aug. 20, at the Hammerhead Olympic & Sprint Triathlon at Camp Blanding in Clay County, Caleb completed an Olympic distance triathlon that entailed a 1,500-meter swim, 25-mile bike ride and 10K run. His time was 4 hours and 21 minutes, under the official time cutoff of 4 hours and 30 minutes.

"It makes me feel proud. It makes me want to do more," he said.

Caleb, who has a Facebook-based group of supporters called Caleb's Crew, hopes he inspires athleticism in other youth who have Down syndrome. "I want to help them to be fit and healthy like me. I feel good when I work out," he said.

At 16, an athlete, student and cookie entrepreneur

Down syndrome is a genetic disorder that varies in severity but can cause lifelong intellectual disability and developmental delays and medical abnormalities, including heart and gastrointestinal disorders. But "better understanding and … early interventions" can help people who have the disorder have "fulfilling lives," according to the Mayo Clinic.

For the Prewitts, the Down Syndrome Association of Jacksonville countered doctors' negativity. Founded in 1989, the association provides information, support and guidance for families of people with the disorder, from prenatal diagnosis through adulthood.

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"They were wonderful, very positive, Prewitt said. "They gave us a number of resources that were more encouraging and we found a community of support there. Meeting other parents and individuals of all ages and abilities was far more encouraging than news from medical professionals."

Now a junior at the North Florida School of Special Education, Caleb is not only an athlete but a budding entrepreneur. He is developing a cookie company with his family and, beginning during the pandemic, posted his own cooking shows on Facebook Live and YouTube.

"He's always loved helping in the kitchen because he's a daddy's boy, and Daddy is the cook in our family," Karen Prewitt said. "It was a lot of fun and good experience while the world was shut down. We started giving cookies that we made on the show to friends and neighbors, co-workers and teachers."

A planned coffee shop wants him to supply them with cookies when they open and he is taking a food safety class and test "to be legitimate," she said. Caleb said he wants "to be a cook and work in a kitchen."

He also takes on modeling jobs, as well as speaking engagements and appearances as an advocate for people with Down syndrome and for the Special Olympics.

"Caleb Prewitt is an outstanding role model for his peers," said Debbie Revels, the association's executive director. "He is breaking barriers and changing the perspective on what individuals with Down syndrome are capable of achieving."

The association, she said, "is beyond proud of his accomplishments."

'An active kid' turned triathlete

Caleb's current passion is athletics.

He showed an interest early on, perhaps following the example of his mother, a longtime runner who played multiple sports in high school and college and majored in physical education.

Caleb joined the local Special Olympics Young Athletes program at age 3 and later played soccer through the association. At 8, he participated in his first Special Olympics Stand Up Paddle event, and a photo of him on the board became part of the National Down Syndrome Society's annual Times Square video presentation.

"He was an active kid. But after 2020, things really ramped up," Karen Prewitt said.

After joining the Special Olympics Triathlon team, he and his mother "began some serious training. We knew that to be successful, he would have to put in the work to make it happen," she said.

Caleb said, "We did running, swimming and biking. A lot. We work out at the gym and at the pool. We made a schedule for training." He said his favorite sport is the triathlon.

Karen Prewitt also became a triathlete because her son needed a partner for some of his races outside of Special Olympics. Caleb's Special Olympics training and event partner is Stephen Wright, who volunteered for the nonprofit's triathlon team in January 2021.

"I will never forget our first time training together," Wright said. "He was small and needed assistance with biking since he was just getting used to riding by himself. He had such a contagious spirit about him and loved learning. He laughed the whole time, encouraged everyone around us … To this day he still has the same amazing spirit."

As soon as Caleb hits one milestone, he aims for another and inspires others to try, Wright said.

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"I’ve never seen him back down … It’s remarkable what he has accomplished," he said. "I don’t know of any other kids his age who put in the work like Caleb does. … As adults we know folks that are afraid to even start the process of swimming, biking or running let alone all three of them in one event, and he has excelled at each at a young age."

Why an 'apparent' record holder?

At age 14, Caleb completed a sprint triathlon about half the distance of a full triathlon. The Prewitt family applied to Guinness World Records to recognize him as the youngest person with Down syndrome to complete such a triathlon.

"Just knowing people in both the Down syndrome community and the triathlon community, there has never been anyone contesting that he was the youngest to complete the sprint," Karen Prewitt said.

Guinness responded that "because of the intensity of the sport, they don’t recognize youth under 16 for something like that, I guess for safety reasons," she said. According to its website, Guinness does not endorse "people under the age of 16 to attempt or hold records which are considered unsuitable for minors."

The family now plans to reapply, this time for recognition of Caleb, at 16, as the youngest person who has Down syndrome to complete an Olympic distance triathlon. (Guinness turned down the reapplication, saying they no longer accept claims for youngest-person records that "involve endurance or highly physical activity." But they suggested Caleb try for "most sprint triathlon races completed in 1 year (male)." Karen Prewitt said Caleb will probably pursue that option.)

Most people with Down who compete in triathlons are in their 20s and 30s, Karen Prewitt said.

"So it is up for challenges, but I would expect to have seen something on social media about this if it had happened with another athlete," she said.

What's next for Caleb Prewitt?

Caleb's next athletic goal is completing a half-marathon, hopefully in 2024.

He said he also aspires "to have a good year in school with my friends" — his favorite class is physical education and to work at Publix.

"We’ve definitely shown him the benefit of setting goals and having high expectations for himself," his mother said. "Setting 'bigger and better' goals is a motivator."

Caleb has been invited to the World Triathlon in Australia in August 2023 and plans to compete in the event's aquathlon, a combination of running and swimming. And he's working toward competing in triathlons independently, without his mother or Wright as partners.

On Labor Day, he completed his second independent road race, still following his "No Limits" mantra.

"He’s developed a strong sense of who he is and tries to work to be as independent as possible," his mother said. "Our hope and goal is that Caleb realizes that he is able to do so much more than previously expected. … We feel very proud that he’s helping others in the Down syndrome and disability community to also realize that life with Down syndrome doesn’t mean you can’t have dreams and goals."

She has some advice for fellow parents of children with disabilities.

"Set expectations high and develop plans to make them happen. Get involved in the community — there is a lot of support to be found," she said. "Find the things that interest your child and work to develop those abilities.

"But most of all," she said, "believe in your child."

bcravey@jacksonville.com, (904) 359-4109

This article originally appeared on Florida Times-Union: Jacksonville teen with Down syndrome caps Olympic distance triathlon