The Lionman Triathlon has become a fixture on the September Celebration
schedule. It’s an athletic event, not a celebration but the unique style
of the event and the unique name makes it more than just a race, it’s
a happening. The only problem now is that the word has gotten out and every
year Guatemalans are streaming into Belize to participate. This year two teams
came and they came to dominate. We were out at the Sandlighter’s Promenade
and here’s more.
Jules Vasquez Reporting,
31 male and female tri-athletes set out on the one mile swim at 7:15 am, a full
hour and a half before the normal start time – allowing them a slight
reprieve from the sun and making for a pretty picture as the rays of the low
sitting sun danced on the stir of flapping waves left in their wake. The course
is two laps around the triangular course, and coming around to the finish, a
procession of green swim caps bobbing in and out the water meant the Guatemalans
- there were two teams had already established the lead.
Three Guatemalans came out of the water first and were the first at the transition
areas to head out on the 24 mile ride, from Sandlighter’s Promenade to
the Haulover Bridge twice. Dr. Ramon Figueroa was the first Belizean out of
the water followed by two time defending champion Jose Xol. Former champion
“Smokes” Gladden was many minutes behind Xol.
Defending female champion Shalini Zabaneh was the third woman out of the water
well behind the leading females – which were two foreign competitors.
Jim Scott looked strong on the ride while “Smokes” Gladden tried
to make up for his lost minutes on this his strongest event. Same for defending
champion Shalini Zabaneh who needed to make up for lost time on what is also
her strongest event. And while “Smokes” and Scott did make up minutes,
they couldn’t overtake the Guatemalans who were still the first to transition
to the last leg, the 6 mile run.
Jim Scott was the first Belizean to get out on the run with “Smokes”
Gladden close behind. By the end of the ride, Shalini Zabaneh had reclaimed
the lead while Jim Scott – was in good enough form to make a sales pitch.
But they couldn’t catch up to Francisco Lima – the Guatemalan who
was over 10 minutes ahead followed by another Guatemalan Angel Saballos, while
defending champion Jose Xol trailed them. In fact the only Belize dominating
on the road was Shalini Zabaneh.
Lima would be the first across the line in two hours nine minutes followed
by Saballos.
Francisco Lima, Winner
“I think the difference was in the bike because I tried to maintain
a velocity and go go go but it didn’t matter nothing and then I run with
my bro.”
Jules Vasquez,
“This is the first time you are winning a triathlon?”
Francisco Lima,
“Yes this is my first time. I prepared to come compete with Romel
Garcia who finished third place. His father lives here so he told us to prepare 
and prepare and now we came back to Guatemala to win.”
Angel Saballos, 2nd Place
“It was good, very good. I am very happy, I didn’t want to win;
I just to run and be with you Belize, because Belize is very good.”
Jose Xol, Defending Champion – 4th Place
“I didn’t want to run today; I ran it slow because I was sick
last night.”
“Smokes” Gladden is another defending champion who didn’t
get back on the winners podium but he was the first Belizean to finish –
14 minutes after the Guatemalans.
“Smokes” Gladden, First Belizean Finisher
“Well I thank God for the overall finish because I didn’t have
time to train in the water. The most thing I did was run and cycle so I thank
God for that.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Now I know that in years past you have won this event, you think that
if you would get serious next year you could be right up there again with these
Guatemalans?”
“Smokes” Gladden,
“Well I know I could win but I just need a little more sponsoring
from the community because it is harder to push on a mountain bike than a road
bike. But a lot of people are ready to lend me their road bike when I am done
close to the race, a week or couple days before the race. So I would a road
bike a little two or three months prior before the race and secondly we need
to have more events so you could open up your heart. If you heart is low you
won’t win easily. The people have to give you the timing a little skip
or something to come into the water because it is very dangerous if you one
come to swim and no one is around you. It breaks your morale a lot of time,
just a simple big fish fly past you in the water throws you off and you think 
it is something trying to attack you. So I would really want them help me out;
got somebody out here to help me swim like a two or three months before the
race and I am sure I can win.”
After overtaking 47 year old Jim Scott who finished sixth.
Jim Scott, 6th Place
“Jules I stuck to my plan of just participating. Dr. Figueroa and
I were riding side by side for a distance. We were talking and he just couldn’t
keep the pace and I said well let me go and I just kept the pace what I was
doing Jules and those guys are younger and stronger and I don’t know how
much training they did but this year I trained for the BDF marathon and I could
have kept running. I felt good but I haven’t been riding and I haven’t
been swimming for a couple months but no excuses, I had fun. This is health
wellness week in the Caribbean and we di do it.”
Shalini Zabaneh was the Belizean who did it best, outdoing the second place
finisher by 15 minutes.
Jules Vasquez,
“You were the third out of the water but you managed to overtake the other
competitors on the ride.”
Shalini Zabaneh, 1st Place
“I guess I have to thank my cycling career.”
Jules Vasquez,
“Did you expect that, I know that you’ve worked on your swimming
in the past and you’ve worked to become a better swimmer.”
Shalini Zabaneh,
“Yes I’ve tried really hard but can’t seem to perfect
the technique yet but I stay close enough and to be able to dominate on the
bike and just maintain it on the run.”
Jules Vasquez,
“I know that you’ve had to compete in this event before without
competition. How does it feel to at least have somebody on the attack?”
Shalini Zabaneh,
“I was nervous and just anxious, just completely out of it until I
got out here and settled down and got into my rhythm and everything just flowed.”
In the corporate relay Team: Police with Jane Usher Elbert Pope and
Efren Nasano were first. Male individual winner Francisco Lima had a Time of
2:09:28 and received $500 and a trophy. That was three minutes better than last
year’s time by Jose Xol. Female individual winner Shalini Zabaneh finished
in 2:46, 15 minutes ahead of the second place finisher.
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