The men kicked off the beginning of the Lima YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon and Duathlon with the swim portion of the event.
Jose Nogueras | The Lima News
Abbie Meyers repeated as champion on the women’s side of the Lima YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon.
Jose Nogueras | The Lima News
Defiance’s Sam Switzer garnered the men’s Lima YMCA/Kewpee triathlon crown. Swizter won the crown three years ago.
Jose Nogueras | The Lima News
BATH TOWNSHIP – Defiance’s Sam Switzer is having fun again.
After coming up short the last two years, Switzer returned as winner of the Lima YMCA/Kewpee Triathlon and Duathlon at Ottawa Metro Park Sunday.
The triathlon began with a 500-yard swim, followed by a 15-mile bike run and concluded with a 5k run.
Official results were unavailable at press time.
Switzer established an early strong pace out of the water and by the time he came out of the bicycle portion of the race he was well ahead of his competitors and then cruised through the 5K run to snare the victory.
“There was good swimmers in the water and I thought I was going to get buried,” Switzer said. “A couple of kids were pretty fast and I was surprised I stayed with them pretty well. I wasn’t sure on the bike because there is usually someone pretty good on the bike but boy I took off on that bike.”
Switzer added the person riding the electric bike shadowing the bikers had at tough time keeping up with him.
With the solid bike ride, Switzer was well ahead of the competition and unlike the past two years he was not surpassed by Josh Kuhlman who had won the race in back-to-back years.
A member of the USA Triathlon National Team, Switzer said he is enjoying competing again. Two decades ago, he was competing heavily when it became more work than fun, Switzer stepped away from the sport.
However, about nine years ago, Switzer decided to return to competing.
“Back in 1988 and 1989 I was a professional on the circuit,” Switzer said. “I never did anything like this in high school. I raced motorcycles but a friend got me into it and I took to it like a duck to water.”
Switzer admits it has been a tough row to hoe that last nine years.
“My nephew came back from the army and challenged me to a race,” Switzer said. “I was 225 pounds and hadn’t raced in 20 years. He saved my life. I would probably 300 pounds. It has been fun again and at the end of my professional career it got to be work and when it becomes work you have to look at it and say is it worth it any more.”
Switzer added that an added bonus this time around is that his brother does it and his niece also competes and all three are on Team USA and will be heading to Switzerland at the end of August to the world championships.
Abbie Meyers successfully defended her title. Like Switzer, Meyers set a solid pace early in the swim and bicycle legs and then was pretty much uncontested coming to the finish line.
“I struggled on the run this year and I think it was a little warmer this year,” Meyers said about winning for a second straight year. “The weather was great.”
Meyers said she felt a competitor close behind once she began the 5K but added that once she hit the turnaround she said she felt she was going to come in first place.
