Photo By Staff Sgt. James Avery | William Beaumont Army Medical Center officers and Soldiers stand tall at an award...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas - In the early morning hours of July 25, the rising sun silhouetted Soldiers against the background of a clear azure sky, the inflatable arch above them marking the start and finish line of the Commander’s Cup Aquathlon outside the Aquatic Training Center.
Soldiers mingled with one another at the starting line, discussing their running strategies and stretching as time moved slowly toward 6:30 a.m., when the race was scheduled to begin.
Holly Imbriaco, group fitness director at Soto Gym, said the Aquathlon was not the standard triathlon.
“The Aquathlon is a three-part race involving two 5k runs and a 400 meter swim,” explains Imbriaco. “Not everyone has access to a bicycle, so we edited that part and added the second 5k run.”
Heads turned toward Todd Smith, intramural sports director at Soto Gym, as he made his way to the starting line, starter pistol in hand. At 6:30 a.m., Reveille sounded and everyone turned toward the sound as those in uniform saluted and the rest put their hands over the hearts and hats came off heads.
Then Smith raised the pistol in the air and pulled the trigger. With the crack of the pistol, the runners took off for the first of three stages that would propel them to the finish line.
Though there were far less attendants at the Aquathlon this year than last year, more than 40 teams participated in the event.
“There were less than half of what we normally expect to be here,” said Smith as he unloaded an enclosed trailer full of safety equipment such as road cones. “A lot of units are in the field right now, but the ones that are here look like they’re excited about it.”
The competitors were split into one of four categories: all-male, all-female, co-ed and individual.
Some, like 1st Lt. Steve Willson, an infantry officer with 4th Battery, 17th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade, 1st Armored Division, chose to run the race as an individual rather than as part of a team.
“I’m excited about the Aquathlon,” said Willson, a 26-year-old native of Parker, Colorado. “My goal is 50 minutes. I want to do well.”
Willson would come in third place in the all-male division, and fifth overall, achieving his personal goal by beating 50 minutes. His time was 49 minutes, 51.5 seconds.
The first-place finishers, however, were a team that should not be ignored. Nearly breaking the 40-minute mark were Staff Sgt. George Greene and Spc. Japeth Ng’Ojoy, both laboratory technicians assigned to William Beaumont Army Medical Center.
“It feels great to represent WBAMC,” said Greene, a native of San Antonio. “With Spc. Ng’Ojoy, who is an extremely strong runner on the team, it was almost guaranteed that we’d win.”
Greene, 28, said that he didn’t practice much for the race but he used to swim competitively in high school.
“I think I was pretty fast,” Greene said. “For not having swam like that in almost 10 years; I can feel good about that.”
WBAMC would claim more than one podium place at this year’s Aquathlon. Capt. Shannon Richmond and Maj. Andrew Medendorp placed first in the co-ed division and third place overall. Richmond thought there was something to be said about the physical readiness of the medical corps in the Army.
“We hear a lot of smack talk like, “Oh, you guys are MEDCOM? You don’t do stuff like this,” said Richmond, a 30-year-old native of Knoxville, Tennessee. “This shows people that we do have skills, and we can step up.”
Later that morning during the award ceremony, all celebration was put on hold to cheer for and motivate the last runner as he passed the finish line, followed and encouraged by members of 4th Battalion, 27th Field Artillery Regiment, 2nd Brigade, 1st Armored Division. Pfc. Collin English, 20-year-old cannon crew member watched the last Soldier cross the line.
“Even down to the last man,” said English, a native of West Palm Beach, Florida, clapping and yelling for the Soldier, “no one gets left behind.”
At the end of the day, the road cones get put away, the inflatable arch gets taken down and Gulf Victory Avenue is open to traffic once more. Soldiers walk away, some with arms around each other’s shoulders, others munching on snacks provided by Fort Bliss Morale Welfare and Recreation. But, all of them strengthened camaraderie and built esprit de corps the Army way: Through teamwork and resilience.
| Date Taken: | 07.30.2014 |
| Date Posted: | 07.30.2014 19:33 |
| Story ID: | 137779 |
| Location: | EL PASO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | KNOXVILLE, TN, US |
| Hometown: | PARKER, CO, US |
| Hometown: | SAN ANTONIO, TX, US |
| Hometown: | WEST PALM BEACH, FL, US |
| Web Views: | 88 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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