Vidal Macchia stands out at William Floyd High School.
As the younger sibling of BYU runner and Olympic hopeful Zariel Macchia, this 10th grader isn’t just excelling in track and field; he’s also making waves on the tennis court.
“I really enjoy both sports. Tennis feels a lot like a chess game to me,” he shared during tennis practice on Wednesday.
On the other hand, he finds running to be all about challenging oneself to the max.
So far this spring, he’s 4-1 in tennis. While he only competes academically in running during the fall and winter, the 6-foot-1, 17-year-old has plans to participate solo in the New Balance Nationals in Philadelphia this June.
His favorite event? The steeplechase. Vidal recorded the fastest time in the nation for the 2,000-meter dash at the 2024 Nike Outdoor Nationals during his eighth-grade year, clocking in at 6:19.79. Recently, he qualified for nationals again with a time of 6:06.9.
all love
Running is a tradition in his family, likely fostering his passion for both sports. Zariel, who graduated from Floyd University last year, holds several records for Long Island.
Their parents, Peter and Alex, met on Columbia University’s track team. Peter introduced Vidal to tennis early on, and he quickly fell in love.
For track, his training partner was mainly his older sister, who helped him find his footing in middle school.
Zariel often pushed him harder than he thought he could handle, jokingly claiming it was to make her a better athlete.
It was all in good fun, of course, but their father had another take, noting, “She thought it was funny to slam him to the ground.”
What began as sibling rivalry sparked something within Vidal, showing everyone that he was a serious contender.
“He’s probably the toughest runner I’ve encountered,” she remarked, pointing out that he’d suffer for weeks after challenging runs.
Zariel added, “He’s the sweetest, kind-hearted kid, but I’m not sure he realizes that.” She even compared him to other Division I athletes she knows.
The two siblings share a close bond, always keeping tabs on each other’s journeys, whether in Suffolk County or all the way in Utah.
“It’s always enjoyable chatting with her. She’s genuinely excited about what I’m up to,” Vidal said, expressing his enthusiasm for hearing about her college life.
Vidal also drew inspiration from Zariel’s high school experience in cross country and looked forward to traveling for events himself.
This passion was part of why he decided to step back from playing quarterback after joining the JV football team in eighth grade.
“My dad used to take us to the beach at Sunken Meadow Park to train, which definitely motivated me to race,” he recalled.
deuce wild
While preparing for upcoming track and field championships, where he’s consistently performing well, Vidal is also stepping onto the tennis courts more seriously this spring.
“I’m aiming to compete in the prefectural tournament this year,” he mentioned, acknowledging the caliber of players there.
After falling short at the county level in 2025, he’s determined to improve and reach championship status.
Vidal has also begun practicing with his younger brother, Peter, introducing him to the nuances of tennis—minus the grueling conditioning Zariel put him through during their runs.
“I do my best to play reasonably well and offer him advice,” Vidal noted. “He’s enjoying it,” he added with a smile.
As he looks toward college, Vidal is considering which sport he might want to pursue more seriously—or whether he can manage both.
One option he’s contemplating is joining Zariel at BYU.
“That sounds pretty awesome,” Vidal expressed.
Zariel was quick to agree, saying, “Being teammates in college would be an incredible experience.”
