ASINGAN’S 16-year-old triathlete Jena Valdez brought honor to her beloved hometown and Pangasinan as champion in the Standard Duathlon 16-29 year old Women’s Category of the Professional Triathletes Organization (PTO) Asian in Singapore last August 20.

In that competition, Valdez  outclassed some 500 women athletes  from various parts of the world, particularly Europe and the Americas.

“I got nervous because that was the biggest event that I joined and I was competing with athletes who trained hard just like I did,” Valdez said. “But I told myself that I will do my best because I never doubted my ability, and luckily I won,” she reminisced.

The 16-year-old Valdez prevailed over her women rivals in Standard Duathlon, 4.5 kilometers of running, 32 kilometers of biking and another 4.5-kilometer run.

The younger of two siblings, Jena was trained as a triathlete even by her elder sister Raven and their parents who stood as her coaches.

“Tuloy-tuloy ang training tapos tiis lang, tiyaga kahit na nag-aaral siya, tuloy-tuloy pa rin. Kahit madaling araw, umaga’t hapon tapos nakikita ko naman siya na may potential talaga,” Jefferson Valdez, father of Jena, said of his athlete daughter.

Jena said she wants to serve as an inspiration to any youth who has a dream to fulfill, advising them to forge on no matter the obstacles they can find on their way till they realize what they want to be.

“Advice ko lang po sa mga kabataan na gusto din pong mag-try at sumali sa ganitong uri ng event, disiplina lang po sa sarili then palagi pong isasama si God sa mga pangarap nila”, Jena said

She will also see action in the  Asian Duathlon Championship this November in Clark, Pampanga. (Leonardo Micua)

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