Not long ago, Fort Worth triathlete Sarah Segrest could hardly run three miles. Now, she's a member of Team USA in Draft-Legal Sprint Triathlon, which entails not only running but swimming and biking, as well. (Draft-legal refers to the bike stage where riders can stay in close proximity to each other and use drafting to reduce wind resistance.)

“It just feels so unreal,” Segrest says after making Team USA and becoming the first Vietnamese-born American citizen to do so. “To be three months into the sport and make it to the World Championships to compete internationally ... there are no words to describe it. I hope that when people look at me and hear my story, they feel inspired.”

Segrest qualified for Team USA and the 2026 Draft-Legal Sprint World Championships in Spain with a top 10 finish at the Multisport National Championships Festival in early June — placing ninth with a time of 1:46:17 in the 25-29 age group.

Segrest — who competes under her legal name Johnson — will represent the United States. But her story starts in Vietnam. She was born there and adopted while still a baby by a predominantly white family in North Carolina. Subsequently, she and her mother moved to Knoxville, where she attended the University of Tennessee.

After a romantic break up hit hard, Segrest relocated to Fort Worth in September, craving a change of scenery, while continuing to work remotely for her family’s company.

“Since I was a little girl, I always wanted to live in Texas,” Segrest says. “I have no clue why.”

That fateful move started quite a journey. Segrest joined a running club after moving to Cowtown, which helped her transition into triathlons. She turned out to be a natural, placing second in her first triathlon in March and taking first place at another meet later that same month.

The win qualified Segrest for the USA Triathlon Sprint & Olympic Distance National Championships in Milwaukee, Wis., Aug 8-10. A top 10 finish there placed Segrest on Team USA’s non-draft legal team.

Sarah SegrestSarah Segrest

In addition to triathlons, Segrest has run a 10K, marathon, two half marathons, and a half Ironman. The first triathlon, though, set the tone for Segrest’s current success.

“If I wouldn't have placed second, I don't think I'd still be doing this,” she says. “But it was just like, ‘Oh, maybe I found my thing. Maybe this is something that I'm supposed to be doing'.”

Segrest hit another milestone in May, becoming the first Vietnamese-born American citizen to win the Texas North State Championship.

Triathlon has helped Segrest connect with her home country. Her story has been shared on social media pages dedicated to the Vietnamese community, like Instagram’s Phở Da Culture.

Segrest does not speak Vietnamese and is currently learning the language. While she was in college, the COVID-19 pandemic highlighted some of the racial issues the Asian-American community faces, sparking an interest to learn more about Vietnam. Segrest hopes to visit soon and maybe even find her birth mother.

“I want to get to know my culture, get to know my roots better,” Segrest says.

She is also working on legally changing her last name to Segrest in honor of her adoptive mother.

Segrest trains early every morning, hitting the pool at 4 am followed by work and a post-work workout. With each achievement, she reminds herself to remain humble and that she is competing for something bigger than herself.

“Yes, I want to do it for myself and make myself proud,” she says. “And I think that's why there's been a lot more pressure I've added to myself because I don't want to let my community down … It's really starting to become more of an accomplishment for a Vietnamese family that I feel like I didn't always have."

"My community is watching me and supporting me and I hope that every little girl that sees me can resonate with me," she says. "I want to be the best person for them, for my family, my community, and for myself."