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Chillicothe High star, Fleurima, heads to Delaware State for inaugural triathlon season
Courtesy: Michael Elliott

Chillicothe High star, Fleurima, heads to Delaware State for inaugural triathlon season

CHILLICOTHE, Ohio — Danielle Fleurima, a recent graduate of Chillicothe High School, is headed to Delaware to be part of their first triathlon team. In May of 2021, Delaware State University announced Danielle would be the first athlete signed to join the team. Fleurima was a 12-letter athlete in cross country, swim and track & field. She currently holds multiple records at Chillicothe and received the Pam Allen award during her senior year. 

I had the privilege of having a conversation with Danielle and asked her some questions. It’s obvious that she greatly enjoyed her time at Chillicothe, but not just while competing.

Courtesy: Michael Elliott

When asked to reflect on her time at Chillicothe, “I remember workouts that made me wish I’d hidden in bed instead of gone to practice, but were tolerable because of the teammates I did them with. I think about all of the hours I spent training my dog to run off-leash, with the help of the cross country girls. I remember training for a 140 mile out and back bike trip last spring because Covid-19 had broken our hearts. That trip is one of the biggest reasons I ended up at DESU for triathlon. Some of my most memorable moments were breaking school records and placing at post-season meets in relays such as the 4×800 in track and the 200 medley, the 400 free and the 200 free in swim. In my final competition as a high school athlete I placed 8th in the 800 at Division 1 Track and Field Regionals. It’s one of my proudest sport accomplishments.” She spoke highly of her teammates, “However, my most important memories are from the casual moments spent with my teammates when I laughed for hours. It didn’t matter if we were at practice or not, I just remember laughing.”

I asked Danielle who had the biggest impact on her as a student athlete, and she answered without hesitation, “Definitely Coach Heather Tarlton. She is always pushing me to be the best I can be as a person and then as an athlete. Since my freshman year, she has emphasized outdoor athletics and overall fitness as a lifestyle, not just as training for a sport. I’m going to take the mental toughness that she has ingrained in me to college and into adulthood.”

When we talked about the next stage in her career, Danielle said she is looking forward to learning the ins and outs of triathlon. “I’ve only ever competed in one and I can’t wait to do more,” she said. “I’m excited to be studying at a new level and experiencing a new part of the country as a young adult.”

Courtesy: Michael Elliott

Danielle also spoke to being a student athlete from a small town. “In many ways the process is no different than that of a student athlete from a larger city. Thankfully, I had the means and opportunity to visit campuses during my college search. Many college coaches realize that being from a small town doesn’t mean I was lacking a competitive athletic environment. Ross County is teaming with talented athletes.”

Danielle is headed to the next stage in her life and she is someone you’ll want to follow as I expect big things from her at the collegiate level. You can follow the Delaware State University Women’s Triathlon Facebook page for updates.

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.