Student shatters Guinness World Record

Giovanni Junqueira Garotti will soon celebrate breaking a Guinness World Record.

The dietetics and nutrition major spent the last two years completing six Ironman triathlons on six continents. He was aiming to become the youngest person ever to do so, but halfway through his pursuit, another competitor beat him to the title.

Garotti considered quitting then and there. Instead, he decided to look inward. That’s when he remembered his purpose, his real rationale for embarking on this arduous journey.

“I wanted to show young people that it’s worth challenging yourself and going after big goals,” he explains.

So Garotti kept going. Each triathlon had him swimming 2.4 miles, biking 112 miles, and running 26.2 miles (a full marathon). He endured extreme humidity in Malaysia, bitter cold in South Africa, a hamstring injury, long flights and multiple time zone changes (16 hours in New Zealand) in his quest to achieve his goal. When he crossed the final finish line in his native Brazil, his family and friends awaited him to celebrate this incredible feat.

And then, an unexpected twist: After reviewing the Ironman category of Guinness records, he discovered that he completed the six-continent challenge with the fastest aggregate time – 65 hours – thereby shattering a different Guinness World Record. Garotti looks forward to receiving his official certificate, and he attributes this personal milestone to his education at FIU.

“Studying dietetics, I applied everything I learned to the sport – the carb loading before the race, the diets during training, the intra-race carbohydrates that I need. All that I based off scientific literature, and I honed how to read this literature at FIU.”

Garotti acted as his own nutritionist, testing different approaches on himself, observing how his body reacted to certain nutritional plans, then adjusting as necessary. He often sought input from his professors to ensure a healthy everyday diet. His pre-race strategy, in particular, prioritized pasta, chicken, and electrolyte drinks. Within the world of Ironman, Garotti explains, “Nutrition is the fourth discipline. Swim, bike, run, nutrition. Because if you get it wrong, you’re not finishing the race.”

Through a scholarship, Garotti received financial support from FIU that helped him pay for his triathlon suit. Likewise, his professors assisted him to ensure timely completion of coursework between competitions and his classmates offered words of encouragement and cheered him on before each race. “I’m really grateful for everybody,” he says.

Dietetics and Nutrition Department Chair Cristina Palacios lauds Garotti’s accomplishment for several reasons. “Not only is he doing [the Ironman competitions], but he has the highest GPA of graduating undergrads in our department, and he’s also getting the dean’s excellence award.” Garotti’s ability to balance life goals with schoolwork and social life is admirable – he hangs with his girlfriend and friends when he’s not training – but his happy disposition to boot makes him exceptional. “He’s an incredible guy to be around. When you see someone that is so proactive, committed, good hearted and good spirited, it’s striking,” Palacios remarks.

Garotti has always been highly motivated. Born and raised in Brazil, he came to the U.S. as a freshman to play American football at a midwestern community college. After one semester, however, he worried about the lifelong impact of this contact sport on his body. Prioritizing his health, he eventually decided to transfer and moved down south.

“I wanted to study dietetics,” Garotti says, “and FIU is one of the best schools for this.”

Meanwhile, a friend introduced him to triathlons. While he had trained competitively to run, Garotti had not swum or cycled since childhood.

“I always like to do things that I’m terrible at,” Garotti explains, “because I love the learning process.” Embracing a beginner’s mindset, he has stayed open and curious throughout this process, something Garotti credits for his success and encapsulated by his personal motto: The body achieves what the mind believes.

Palacios praises Garotti for living the life he preaches. “He’s practicing everything that he’s been learning to be a better athlete.” Following graduation next month, Garotti will begin his master’s in dietetics and nutrition at FIU, hoping to one day guide future athletes as a sports dietician. “I’ll have not only the science behind everything I say but also the experience.”

Impressed by Garotti’s charisma and drive, Palacios concludes, “This guy has so much purpose, so much life, it’s contagious. If I could l have adopted him, I would have!”