Triathlon brings out the meek, mighty and honest
Cody Sanford, (far right) of Clearwater, sprint towards the finish line at the St. Anthony's Meek & Mighty Triathlon in St. Petersburg. [MARTHA RIAL | Times]
East Lake High senior Brandan Lewis, who didn't begin swimming competitively until last August, overcame some momentary cramping to win Saturday morning's Meek & Mighty Triathlon on the St. Petersburg waterfront.
The top female? That wasn't totally clear until 43-year-old Land O'Lakes resident Maria Ajamian, originally posted as the winner, later told race officials she unknowingly failed to complete the entire bike segment of the race.
That left 11-year-old Ciara Hopkins of Clermont as the top female finisher (28:06). Delaney Owen, a 15-year-old home-schooled Clearwater resident, was the first local female finisher (28:38) in an event that drew 750 participants ranging in age from 6 to 90.
The Meek & Mighty, a precursor to Sunday's 25th running of the St. Anthony's Triathlon, featured a 200-yard swim, 5.4-mile bike ride and mile run, with those ages 10 and under competing on a slightly smaller course. Lewis, headed to the University of North Florida, finished in 26:22.
Ajamian, a married mother of three who never previously had competed in a triathlon, was posted as the winning female among competitors ages 15 and up with a time of 28 minutes.
But she later told race officials she completed only one of the three loops on the bike course, avoiding Rosie Ruiz notoriety. Ruiz was announced as the female winner of the 1980 Boston Marathon, but was stripped of the title when it was later determined she cut the course.
"I didn't bother to ask (about the bike loops) because I didn't know and there weren't any signs," Ajamian said. "We're honest people. I couldn't have lived with myself."
The oldest entrant, 90-year-old Ruth Gordon of Seminole, not only completed the course (in 1:10.27), but shattered the time she recorded in the 2003 Meek & Mighty -- her only other triathlon -- by nearly 10 minutes.
"I feel great," Mrs. Gordon said at the finish line.
Complete results can be found later this afternoon at satriathlon.com.
JOEY KNIGHT, Times Staff
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