Denise finishes fifth in Nadi

Denise Myers is all smiles after completing the swim split of the 2022 Oceania Triathlon Pacific Island Championships held last Sunday in Nadi, Fiji. (CONTRIBUTED PHOTO)

Denise Myers finished fifth among the women in the 2022 Oceania Triathlon Pacific Island Championships held last Sunday in Nadi, Fiji.

The 34-year-old health and physical education instructor for the Northern Marianas College completed the race in 45:56. She had splits of 8:22 on the 400m swim, 24:37 on the 10K bike, and 12:57 on the 10K run.

Myers said before the race, participants actually took part in the Pacific Islands Training Camp. 

“We spent the week practicing and learning skills and then raced on Sunday, our last day. So I think I was chosen because I wasn’t able to join the team when they were learning for the [Pacific] Mini Games because I was training for athletics. I’m so lucky to have been chosen!” said the silver medal in the steeplechase competition of the Northern Marianas Pacific Mini Games 2022.

Myers said before flying to Fiji she really worked on sharpening her biking skills.

“Before leaving I was focusing my training on biking because I knew the least about it. I was lucky that an incredible group of bikers—Pam, Heather, Heather, Kathy, Robyn, Lilly, Derek, and Dixie—all let me join them and helped me out with tips and tricks!” 

The course at Vunda Marina, the Missouri native said, was daunting but fun because it involved a lot of loops. 

“So the 400m swim was technically open water but it was within the marina, followed by the 10K bike made up of 2K loops with sharp U-turns which challenged my new biking skills. Then ending with a 3K run made up of 1K loops through the marina’s with sailboats lining both sides! It was a really fun course!” 

Of all the three splits, she said the most challenging part was the swim. 

“When I came to Fiji I thought I was a pretty good swimmer, but most of these athletes came from swimming! So I’ve realized I’m on the lower end of decent. My goal going into the race was to not be last out of the water and catch people on the run and swim. Thanks to my swimming practice I was able to stay with some girls and then catch people on both the run and swim. So I was pleased. Just wish I’d run a little faster.”

Myers dedicated her completing the triathlon training and finishing strong in the race to Fiji Triathlon.

“The work this group put together to make everything happen was incredible. Ian, Trisa, Angus, and coach Toby went above and beyond working with me to help me when my bags were lost in transit, letting me borrow a bike, working with my after-camp hours to work on swimming techniques, and making sure I got to experience a bit of Fiji.”  

She added that the athletes at camp were all so supportive and incredible.

“I roomed with a group of girls who all wanted to be better, it was truly inspirational. Of course a big thanks to Oceania Triathalon and the Triathalon Association of the CNMI for funding the camp and selecting me. And of course my family who always supports me and never complains about me traveling for sport instead of visiting them. It was truly an incredible experience and I’ve grown athletically, personally, and professionally,” said Myers.

Top 3 for the women in the 2022 Oceania Triathlon Pacific Island Championships were Guam’s Manami Iijima (38:06), Tahiti’s Maidi Susset (40:44), and Fiji’s Katie Madison Pattie (41:02).

For the men, the top finishers were Samoa’s Jett Lee (39:39), Fiji’s Nikotimasi Tu’enadi Croker (41:53), and Fiji’s Christian Zadkiel Rokoua (42:55).