by Dave Delgado
Guam - 5 of the islands top triathletes are set to compete at the Pacific Games in New Caledonia. On the men's side Peter Lombard, Joe De La Cruz and Mark Walters will do their best at putting Guam in medal contention.
Said Lombard, "Lots of training, I have a coach or two helping me get up early at 4:30 am during the week and even earlier on the weekends. It's a great training schedule and race schedule we've got here that's helping us get prepared. I've been doing triathlons on and off for about 10 years but this is the farthest that I have been able to progress in the sport. I have also taken up cycling pretty avidly over the last year or two so I'm looking forward to having a good showing out there."
Training partner and teammate Joe Dela Cruz has been training for the Pacific Games for about a year now and is looking forward to his first appearance as a member of Guam's Triathlon Team. He told KUAM Sports, "I've been doing the sport of triathlon for about two years now and actually started getting into the sport after doing the weekly 5k's that they have here on the island. It got me into the sports of endurance running. Started off doing the Ko Ko Race and the P.I.C Race and it snow balled into getting into biking and eventually swimming. Swimming was the last thing I picked up in the sport of triathlon and it's something I'm still working on but it was still a good enough to qualify for the team. I tell you what just getting out there and doing stuff is one of the best things there is. It's a great lifestyle, it's healthy and it gets you out. It's definitely a game changer for me because now I have so much energy through out the day and I encourage it for everyone."
Longtime resident Kelly Dawes says she's excited to represent the island and eager to take on the 750-meter swim, 20k bike ride and 5k run after getting so much support from friends and family. Dawes will be teaming up with Chiyo Lombard who recently finished in the top 10 at the 31st Hawaii Tinman Triathlon.
Dawes said, "I have been doing all 3 disciplines, running, swimming, biking just been doing a lot of training everyday except for one day a week. I am very excited and a little bit nervous. There are two women, there is Chiyo Lombard and myself and three men. We also have a coach Cameron O'Neal who is a great triathlete and he has qualified for the Ironman in Hawaii."
