From Medellín to Asheville: Tri Coach Jorge Marin
Catherine Lang | September 16, 2025
For Jorge Marin, a seasoned triathlete, moving to the United States has brought a slower pace of life. After splitting his time between his home in Medellín, Colombia, and Asheville, North Carolina the last seven years, he applied for permanent residence in 2022. Marin moved to Asheville in January, and is now the head coach of Warren Wilson College (WWC)’s women’s triathlon team and the school’s strength and conditioning coach.
Marin reflected on the differences between his home country and the U.S.. Medellín, a city of over 3 million people, was fast-moving and easy to navigate without a car. By comparison, Asheville seems quaint. In Colombia, and throughout the Latin countries, there is a cultural understanding that friends and family will visit unannounced.
“If you are walking by the house of a friend or family member, you just go there,” Marin said. “You just start talking; ‘Hey, can you invite me [in for] a coffee?’ You go there and you speak for one hour, or [for] whatever [time you have]. But here, if you go somewhere and do that, [people would say,] ‘What are you doing here?’”
Though his country’s style of hospitality does not translate to American culture, Marin describes the Americans he has met as very warm and kind.
Marin began traveling to the U.S. in 2014, one year after beginning his own coaching business in Colombia. Since following five of his athletes to a half Ironman in Miami, he has traveled for races in Utah, New Hampshire and New York, with several trips to Kona, Hawaii, for the Ironman World Championship.
Marin has been a triathlete for 21 years. When he began studying at Universidad de Antioquia (UA) in Medellín, Marin saw a group of cyclists training on campus. Having recently undergone surgery for an injury he sustained while playing soccer when he was 15, Marin thought cycling would allow him to return to athletics while still recovering from his injury. Marin joined the triathlon team’s training program without previous experience as a swimmer. Within his first two weeks, he was placed on the main racing team. After three months of training, Marin won his first triathlon race.
“You never know what the future brings to you,” Marin said. “That is why we need to [keep an] open mind.”
Marin’s love of the sport led him to pursue a career in coaching. After three years at UA, he transferred to Politécnico Jaime Isaza Cadavid to study sports science. His former coach at UA needed an assistant, and Marin took the job while finishing his degree.
Twenty-one years later, Marin still competes in triathlons. He will be racing in Tennessee at Ironman Chattanooga on September 28.
The Warren Wilson College (WWC) Triathlon team poses for a picture on August 29, 2025. (Ellery Rather)
With five full-season members, Marin hopes to continue to grow the women’s triathlon team at WWC. He is proud of his athletes and applauds them for their positive attitudes.
“The girls in the team are great, great people,” Marin said. “Very committed and very nice. That energy is good.”
Marin gave advice for anyone who has doubts about joining a triathlon team:
“Try it and see if you like [it],” Marin said. “Anything [you] want to do, [you] can do it. It doesn't matter if you don't know how to swim properly. [It’s more] difficult to learn when you're an adult, but [if ] you want to do it, try it.”
Through virtual meetings, Marin continues to train athletes in Colombia and across the U.S..
When he is not coaching, training or competing, Marin enjoys good food, hiking and cinema. He and his partner have two cats, Flora and Tolu.