Miguel Hidalgo, 25, has set a goal of becoming triathlon world champion in the next two years. The athlete has good results and plans to reach the Los Angeles Olympic Games in 2028 with good spirits, already crowned as the best in his sport.
Brazil does not have a long tradition in this sport, but the São Paulo native from Salto sees reasons for optimism. Supporter of the motto “train not only with the aim of winning, but to be able to dominate your opponents”, he has demonstrated constant evolution, he was runner-up in the world last year and wants more.
“There’s a cancer in Brazilian sport, which is the athlete’s demand for humility. I think that’s ridiculous,” he said, criticizing what he calls “mutt syndrome.”
Hidalgo has on his resume the gold medal at the 2023 Pan American Games, in Santiago, where he ended a 12-year period without Brazilians at the top of the men’s category. The following year, he was in contention for a medal until the final stretch at the Paris Olympic Games. Tenth place was not what he was looking for, but it was the best position for an athlete from Brazil in the Olympic triathlon.
In 2025, more mature and confident, the Saltense native performed excellently on the world circuit. On the way to runner-up, he had a dominant victory at the Alghero stage in Italy, a second place and two thirds.
“I was second in the world championship. So, my goal now is to be world champion. I really want to be champion before the Los Angeles Games, in 2026 or 2027, to really reach the Olympics as someone who won’t be surprised if I become Olympic champion,” Hidalgo told Sheet.
He said that his biggest goal as an athlete is to have a gold medal on his chest in two and a half years. “It’s what drives me to train every day. Everything I do is focusing on what I need to be a champion in Los Angeles.”
Hidalgo noted that he has been gradually achieving better results in the main competitions. But he also recognized that, to reach the top, the climb tends to be steeper.
“That step from second to first can be more difficult than from tenth to second.”
To climb this last step, the Brazilian has been paying special attention to training apart from the race, a 10 km stretch that concludes the competition at the Olympics, after 1.5 km of swimming and 40 km of cycling.
“Running has perhaps become my strongest discipline today,” he said, adding that if he manages to gain around 30 seconds in the race to Los Angeles, he will have a real chance at the front.
“Depending on what happens in Los Angeles, I may never do an Olympic triathlon again and focus on other events, like the Ironman. Depending, I’ll go to Brisbane [sede dos Jogos Olímpicos de 2032].”
The triathlete tried to treat his recent success naturally. According to him, because of all the work done alongside coach Marcelo Ortiz, in a decade-long partnership, the results did not surprise him.
“Sometimes, people can confuse it with a bit of arrogance, but there was no surprise for me. I always knew I would reach this level and I know I will reach an even higher level”, said Hidalgo, who started playing the sport in his childhood under the influence of his father, an amateur triathlete.
“Confidence and arrogance are two very different things. Humility, in the Brazilian connotation, is the wrong humility, in my opinion. Humility, for me, is respecting and studying your opponents, not underestimating anyone, but also having self-confidence and knowing your ability.”
