For Emmanuel junior, Oskaras Grigonis, last summer was anything but a break. Instead, it was a season of breakthrough.  

After finishing the Spring 2026 semester, Grigonis traveled to Italy to begin his summer preparation.

"I wanted to put myself in the best possible environment," he said. "That meant heading into the high mountains, where the thin air, long training days, and demanding conditions would challenge me both physically and mentally."

This summer, Oskaras had the opportunity to compete at the European Triathlon Baltic Championships, the Lithuanian Triathlon National Championships, and the Europe Triathlon Championships, which gave him the opportunity to test himself against some of the strongest athletes in Europe.

Each race brought a different challenge and a different opportunity to learn. Racing at championship level means there is very little room for mistakes. 

For Grigonis, these races were about more than results. They were an opportunity to prove that he belonged at one of the highest levels of elite triathlon and to gain experience competing against athletes who have already reached the very top of the sport.

One of the most memorable moments of the summer came in the water, where Grigonis trained alongside two athletes who had competed at the Olympic level and who were ranked 11th and 10th in the Olympic rankings.

For him, that training session served as a reminder that his hard work is paying off. Moments like that give Grigonis confidence that he has the potential to compete with the best athletes in Europe.

Another major achievement from this summer was his rise in the World Triathlon Rankings.

At the beginning of the season, Oskaras was ranked 1302nd in the World. By the end of the summer, he had climbed all the way to 568th.

"Moving more than 700 places in the rankings is something I am extremely proud of," Grigonis said. "It represents much more than a number. Behind that jump are months of training, difficult sessions, travel, racing, recovery, and the willingness to keep pushing forward even when things were difficult."

Grigonis is eager to take what he learned over the summer and bring it back to the Emmanuel, where he will compete on the Swim and Triathlon team. 

"I am hungry for new personal bests in the pool and excited to get back to work with Coach G to become even faster in the water," he said.  "Improving my pool swimming will also directly translate to triathlon, where one of my major goals is to develop a faster and stronger open-water swim."

This season, the Lions have set attainable goals, to defend their conference title and finish in the top five nationally. 

For Grigonis, his personal goal is simple...keep climbing.