Gomez earns himself pro licence

Gibraltar Triathlete Kelvin Gomez recently earned himself a professional triathlon licence after an impressive second place finish in the Outlaw Triathlon in the UK. In so doing becoming the first Gibraltarian to compete at the professional level in triathlon.
Competing against a very strong field he was to take on the Outlaw Triathlon which is considered as “one of the UK’s most competitive middle-distance events and serves as the qualifying race for British athletes aiming to earn a professional license in long-course racing.”
“To qualify automatically, you must place in the top three—a tough ask given the calibre of athletes it the UK. With Britain being one of the world’s leading triathlon nations, it’s no surprise this race draws in some of the country’s best up-and-coming talent,” Kelvin told this newspaper as he explained how he had done in the race.
Kelvin was to finish second overall with some impressive times. He was to complete his swim in 00:24.39, ahead of the eventual winner, with a 02.08.39 bike run, and a 01:14.21 run. His overall time of 03:52:54 just over a minute slower than eventual winner Lewis Eccleston who completed in 03:51:43.
The event which took place in Nottingham saw athletes take on Regatta Lake at the National Water Sports Centre with a time trial format start. The swim described by organisers as “easy to navigate with an out and back course which exits via a pontoon close to transition.”
They were then to proceed to the 56-mile bike course which took them “along a relatively flat route out into the rolling Nottinghamshire countryside before you return to the Water Sports Centre past the stunning Holme Pierrepont Hall for the final leg of the race.”
Finally Kelvin would face a 13.1-mile flat run with laps of Regatta Lake, taking in views of the River Trent and White Water rapids as you go. Athletes would see the finish line a couple of times before you can finally head onto the orange carpet.
This newspaper was able to catch up with Kelvin Gomez after the event.
“Turning professional has been a dream of mine since I was young, and this race was a major stepping stone toward that goal. Having recently joined a new training setup in Loughborough, working with coaches who have guided several elite pros, I came into this race with confidence built on a solid winter of consistent training. But given this was only my second time racing this distance, I still had questions: Was my runner-up finish at the English Middle Distance Championships in September just a one-off?
“Outlaw’s flat course presented an opportunity for a personal best if things went well. After an aggressive start to the swim, I settled into a group of three, and by the halfway point, I could see a couple of athletes ahead. I’d anticipated this and stayed composed. Exiting the water, I heard the announcers call my swim time—24:39—a lifetime best for this distance, and a great way to start the day.
“On the bike, I pushed to bridge the gap to athletes ahead. The group grew as some joined us and others dropped off. I positioned myself near the front, ready to react to any surges. Around three-quarters into the ride, we were informed that three athletes had broken away, opening a three-minute lead. I knew I’d need something special on the run to close that gap. Rolling into transition, I clocked another lifetime best on the bike—a positive sign heading into the final leg.
“As soon as I started the run, I found myself shoulder to shoulder again with the athlete who won the English Middle Distance Championships last year. We worked together to pick off the runners ahead, one by one. With around 3km to go, we caught the race leader. At that point, the eventual winner made his move and pulled away. My focus then shifted: secure the professional license by holding my position. I locked into the fastest sustainable pace I could manage and crossed the line with a 1:14:21 half marathon—yet another personal best.
“Final time: 3 hours and 52 minutes—a 27-minute improvement on the previous Gibraltarian record for this distance.
“This result has earned me a professional triathlon license and marks the beginning of a new chapter. I am incredibly proud to be the first Gibraltarian to compete at the professional level in triathlon. Now, it is back to the drawing board as I prepare for my first start in a pro field.”

Photo supplied by Kelvin Gomez