MARS — When it comes to competing, Zach Leachman is tireless.

Leachman, 16, will be a junior at Mars High School this fall. He runs on the cross country team in the fall, swimns for the Planets in the winter and runs track and field in the spring.

And none of those is his favorite sport.

That would be the triathlon.

He competed in the 2018 Salinas CAMTRI Triathlon American Youth Olympic Games Qualifier earlier this month in Ecuador. Leachman placed 30th overall and ninth among United States finishers with a time of one hour and 58 seconds.

He was one of eight male athletes competing for Team USA.

“They picked the top eight male and female triathletes based on how we finished in the first two events this summer,” Leachman said.

Competing in the USAT Junior Elite (Under 20) Draft Legal Triathlon Series, Leachman placed 13th at a North American competition in Sarasota, Fla., and was among the top 25 at a race in Richmond, Va.

“He does well in cross country and track, but his love is the triathlon,” Mars High School track coach Joelle Patterson said. “I'm impressed by how well he does in all sports because he can never totally dedicate his training to any of them.

“Zach is always driven, always working. He's the perfect kid to coach.”

Leachman runs the 1,600 and 3,200 meters for the Mars track team. He qualified for the PIAA Track and Field Championships in the 3,200 as a sophomore and ran the second-fastest time in Butler County — nine minutes, 33.08 seconds — this spring.

The triathlon event in Ecuador consisted of a 750-meter swim (half mile), 20-kilometer bicycling (12.5 miles) and 5-kilometer running (3.1 miles).

“We went over there as a team and practiced together for a few days leading up to the race,” Leachman said. “That was the first time in my life I was ever out of the country and it was a great experience.”

The high school track season ends in late May. Since then, Leachman has been in triathlon-mode.

“During the track season, I just swim and bike maybe two days a week,” Leachman said. “During the summer, I swim, bike and run five days a week.

“On average, I'll swim 3,000 to 3,500 yards, bike 10 to 20 miles and run three to seven miles a day. I taper off whenever my body needs a break.”

He said he didn't start riding a bicycle regularly until five years ago.

“I wanted to try a local kids triathlon,” Leachman said. “I didn't do very well, but I enjoyed it. I thought I could do better next year, so I worked hard, went back and improved a lot from the first time.

“I've been working at it ever since.”

Since the triathlon is not an official NCAA men's sport, Leachman plans to run track in college.

His goal in the triathlon is to reach Junior Worlds.

“You have to be among the top three in the 16-19 age group to get to that,” Leachman said. “I'd like to get there this year, but it's not likely.

“I'll just keep working at it until I do.”

Patterson won't bet against him.

“That kid is so determined and not afraid to challenge himself,” she said.