Teenagers compete in US Patriot Games 2026 for university scholarships

Anderson Reid, representing Puerto Rico, sprinted onto a military-style bootcamp course to the cheers of supporting families and friends.

Thrift Shop by Macklemore & Ryan Lewis played as he crawled, sprinted and carried jerry cans, vying to top the times of 119 other teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 for a chance to win a university scholarship.

The Patriot Games 2026 were announced in December 2025 by US President Donald Trump, who billed it as "an unprecedented four-day athletic event featuring the greatest high school athletes".

"One young man and one young women from each state and territory, but I promise there will be no men playing in women's sports," he said.

From 50 states and a few more

One hundred and twenty competitors made it to Ohio to compete in the three-day-long athletic competition, commemorating the 250th anniversary of the United States.

The ABC has identified participants from Puerto Rico, Guam, the Shawnee Tribe and the US Virgin Islands, but not from American Samoa or other Native American groups.

However, there has been speculation some athletes might not live in the state or territory they represent.

Reid is representing Puerto Rico, but does not appear to live there, with one Instagram commenter asking, "Isn't he from Texas?".

Videos on Reid's YouTube channel show clips from Daikin Park stadium in Houston, Texas.

Responding to another comment on Instagram, Reid said "[Contestants] don't have to be currently living in the state or territory they are representing".

"They do have to have some sort of association with it such as living there or having social [family] ties to it," Reid said.

The idea behind the Patriot Games drew immediate comparison to The Hunger Games, a series of books by Suzanne Collins, which were later adapted into a multi-billion-dollar film franchise.

Patriot Games organisers Freedom250 said the event would "bring together outstanding young Americans from across the nation to compete, inspire, and showcase the values that have shaped the United States for nearly 250 years".

It's a unique qualification process, as unlike the Junior Olympics or national sports competitions, the pre-selection method did not involve qualifying rounds, but rather a video application process.

'I didn't think I'd get on'

Chris Brennan is representing North Carolina at the Patriot Games, and has been sharing each step of the experience on his social media.

In an interview with Trump-aligned influencer Adam Francisco Brennan said he stumbled across the Patriot Games online.

"I was just on Instagram one day, scrolling, scrolling and I saw an advertisement and I was like, 'Hey, I heard Trump talking about that,'" Mr Brennan said.

"I clicked, submitted, I made a quick 5-minute video application.

"Honestly I think it was a little bit of luck and a little bit of my personality."

Brennan then made it into the next round, and was asked to write an essay and answer "personal questions".

He later interviewed several of his fellow competitors in Baltimore, and they described stumbling on the Patriot Games like he did.

"I think it was on TikTok and I did it as a joke with my friend," Owen Carter of South Carolina said.

"I didn't think I'd get on."

The youth from North Carolina also runs a social media page called Club America, which features Christian content and Charlie Kirk quotes.

Some competitors said they prepared for the Patriot Games with cardio and pre-existing fitness routines.

Campbell Remus from Minnesota said she trains year round for track, cross country and the "Ninja Warrior" obstacle and fitness challenge, while Mr Carter said he went for "a lot of runs" despite not having much time to prepare.

On August 9 the athletes completed the presidential physical fitness test, a former national benchmark of core, upper body and cardio fitness retired in 2013. They also competed in team games of dodgeball and kick ball.

The next day, competitors completed a multi-sport skill challenge called the varsity circuit, along with a military style bootcamp obstacle course.

The games will conclude at 7pm on August 11, local time, with semi-finals, finals and team competitions like tug of war.

'Follow my dreams without financial burden'

In her application video, incoming freshman Sophie Skidmore of West Virginia appeared with her neck adorned in sports medals.

"I'm always looking for my next challenge," she said.

"As for the scholarship it would help me follow my dreams without financial burden."

Skidmore was eliminated in day two of the qualifiers.

The top male and female athlete will each receive a $US125,000 university scholarship, but according to a report by the Education Data Initiative, the average cost of attending an out-of-state, public school in the US is more than $US182,000.