This year, as a junior, Axel Sallault took his career to another level with six invitational race victories, a district title, and a second-place finish in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship meet in Tallahassee. (Courtesy Jeff Warren/South Lake Photography)
East Ridge boys cross country coach Tim Ferrell said Axel Sallault was surprisingly quick to begin learning the English language after his family moved from France to Clermont.
It was not so surprising to see the young immigrant excel right away when he joined the Knights’ cross country team as a ninth grader. He came to the United States that summer with a family of triathletes and was a cross country standout as soon as he set foot onto his first high school race, where he finished second.
Sallault was the Lake & Sumter County race champion as a freshman and sophomore. This year, as a junior, he took his career to another level with six invitational race victories, a district title, and a second-place finish in the FHSAA Class 4A state championship meet in Tallahassee. Sallault’s state meet time of 15 minutes, 27.5 seconds was the best performance by an Orlando area runner.
With that showing, combined with a stellar regular season, Sallault is the Orlando Sentinel boys Runner of the Year.
“Second place at state is really something I’m proud of,” he said. “I’m happy to go to training every day, and I’ve tried each year to improve my time.”
Sallault, who turned 17 in October, ran a school record time of 16:12.3 as a ninth grader and lowered that to 15:44 as a sophomore before finishing eighth in the state meet. He crushed that standard again with a personal best 15:01.11 in a victory at Lake Minneola this season.
Axel’s younger brother, Aubin, and sister, Hortance, also run for East Ridge.
Their father, Eddy Sallault, has a floor-cleaning business and trains triathletes. The mother, Marielle Despres, won the 2025 Disney Marathon in January.
“It’s a great, hard-working family,” Ferrell said. “The father helps out with our practices. They love the education their kids are getting and the fact that America provides opportunities for (college) athletic scholarships.”
East Ridge High junior Axel Sallault moved from France to Clermont as part of a family of triathletes. (Courtesy Jeff Warren/South Lake Photography)
Sentinel Standouts
Aiden Aysun, Oviedo senior
Buzz: Was 24th in 4A state meet in 16:18.8 time. Ran much faster 15:19.9 on same course in Pre-State meet, and went 14:57.06 as 4A Region 1 champion.
Colin Aysun, Oviedo senior
Buzz: Led the Lions to a second-place team finish in the 4A state meet. He ran 15:54.8 for seventh individually. Ran personal best 15:02.42 for second in region.
Jacob Finch, Horizon, senior
Buzz: Ran 15:48.0 for sixth place in 4A state meet. He won three meets in a row, including the Metro Conference West title, and clocked a season best of 15:33.4.
Levi Mollica, Oviedo junior
Buzz: Placed 11th in the 4A state final with a 15:59.9 time for second place Lions. Career best 15:06.12 came at Region 1 meet.
Will Moss, Montverde Academy junior
Buzz: Class 2A state champ with a 15:35.30, second only to Sallault among Orlando finishers in the FHSAA finals. Ran 15:11.4 for second behind Sallault at Hawks Last Chance meet.
Matthew Rutan, Lake Nona junior
Buzz: Metro East champ scored three victories and 15:59.8 state meet time was good for 10th in 4A state meet. Personal best 15:31.5 was in Pre-State meet hosted by FSU.
Nate Winslow, Hagerty sophomore
Buzz: Ran 16:27.9 for 30th place in the 4A state meet. That came a week after he clocked a personal best 16:07.01 in the Region 1 meet.
Annabella Tomasic (Bishop Moore), Will Moss (Montverde) FHSAA XC champions
All-area teams consist of FHSAA series participant schools in Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake and southwest Volusia counties. Selections were made by the Sentinel staff in consultation with area coaches.
Varsity content editor Buddy Collings can be contacted by email at bcollings@orlandosentinel.com.
