Champion boxers Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather. Olympic speed skater Apolo Anton Ohno. Martial arts superstar Bruce Lee. Olympic diver Greg Louganis. Soccer great Pele. Baseball legend Yogi Berra.
All are giants of their respective sports. All are 5-feet 9-inches or under. Scott DeFilippis looks up to all of them ― literally.
The accomplished triathlete and Iron Man contender is just 5-feet 5-inches tall, but he proves every day that stature is not measured with a yardstick. “I am a little man with a big heart and fighting spirit,” says DeFilippis.
The New Jersey native, who has competed around the world, will return to his home state this summer for Challenge Atlantic City. The triathlon, set for Sunday, June 29, will start with a 2.4 mile swim, continue with a 112-bike course, and conclude with a 26.2 mile marathon that ends on the city’s famed Boardwalk. It’s the first-ever Challenge competition to be held in the United States, and DeFilippis is stoked to be among the 1,500 elite athletes and 100 relay teams expected to test their mettle on the grueling course. Along with the thrill of competition, he looks forward to that final lap, “running on the Boardwalk and having so many friends and family out there racing and cheering.”
You might say DeFilippis was born to compete. Taking inspiration from his brother Rob, a high school long-distance runner, and his father Bob, an avid cyclist, he completed his first “triathlon” in an above-ground backyard pool ― with swimmies on his arms.
“From a young age, endurance sports were a part of our family,” he says. “I can remember watching the Tour de France and Hawaii Ironman on TV as a boy, and then going outside and holding mock races with the other neighborhood kids.” When he took up track and field and cross country in high school, DeFilippis started to think seriously about becoming a triathlete. “I dabbled throughout college, but didn’t get serious about the sport until I was in my late 20s.” Now 33, DeFilippis has been training and racing full-time for six years. “I have been blessed with the opportunity to live the dream, following the sun around the world in some amazing places like the Philippines, Thailand, Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, Gran Canaria, Switzerland, and California,” he says. “I race as a professional, but earn a living coaching.”
While some consider triathlon a three-sport hybrid, DeFilippis insists otherwise. “Triathlon is one sport that involves three disciplines,” he says. “I see too many age groupers taking a little bit of advice from a swimmer, some from a cyclist, and bit more from a runner.” While physical prowess and intensive training are paramount ― DeFilippis himself trains 30 hours a week, on average― mental toughness is just as important.
“The best advice I’ve ever received was from [coach] Brett Sutton. He used to compare Ironman to a boxing match. He would say, “Mate, you are going to get hit, you know that. Take your hits. If you stagger, step back, collect yourself, and then attack again.’ It’s not easy, that’s for sure! I’m an athlete who puts way too much pressure on myself … I have to remind myself that it’s just triathlon. We aren’t fighting world wars here.”
DeFilippis cites three competitions among his career highlights:
“2012 Ironman Switzerland was a make-or break race. Brett had been training me for three years to finally crack the Ironman puzzle, but I struggled to figure it out. My only mission was to nail the marathon. When I came off the bike, I put my head down and charged. With Brett, Alex our team manager, my girlfriend Carrie, and some of our Team TBB teammates cheering me on, I ran my way into fifth place and ran 2:43 for the marathon. I will never forget that race and will never be able to find that feeling I had when I crossed the finish with so many loved ones there.”
“For the 2012 Ironman Florida, I gained my first Top 3 in an Ironman, and my family was there to witness it. I came within three minutes of winning. But most importantly, I proved I had the ability to race with the big boys.”
“In the 2013 Challenge Penticton [in Canada], I finished second while my girlfriend won the women’s race. This was probably my most complete race from start to finish, and extra-special because Carrie won.”
DeFilippis credits his brother Rob for launching him on his amazing journey, along with Brett Sutton and lifeguard Brian Shea, who first encouraged him to develop as a swimmer. His motto? “People with character do the right thing ― not because they think it will change the world, but because they refuse to be changed by it.”
On June 29, when he runs that final mile toward Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, DeFilippis may momentarily get lost in the crowd. But when it comes to persistence, determination, and sheer grit, he stands head and shoulders above most athletes. For him, there is no real finish line.
“I simply love the life,” says DeFilippis. “I love getting up each day and pursuing my passion and dream. I will continue to do so until Father Time catches me.”