Bermudian triathlete Tyler Butterfield has his eyes firmly over his shoulder – watching his 15-year-old namesake who he believes will soon be a formidable opponent.
Butterfield was speaking about Tyler Smith after winning the Tokio Millennium Re 2014 Sprint Triathlon on Sunday in a time of 58:15 seconds. His wife, Nikki, was the first female, finishing in a time of 1:06:53 and seventh place overall.
Tyler Butterfield, who is sponsored by Tokio Millennium Re, said: “In few years Tyler Smith will be beating me. At his age he will only get stronger. I told him ‘in a few years I am going to be really worried’.”
The teenager is one of the Island’s leading young athletes and had been hoping to compete in the Youth Olympic qualifiers until he suffered a broken arm in a biking accident.
Bermuda’s Paralympian Jessica Lewis, who is also sponsored by Tokio Millennium Re, took part in the team triathlon event and said: “It was wet, but it was great fun. It was a fast track and good training for me.”
Hundreds of athletes turned out at Albuoy’s Point for the event which featured the Sprint Triathlon, a Try-a-Tri for those new to the sport, a Duathlon for children aged seven to ten and 11 to 14, a Senior School Challenge for school teams and a triathlon team event.
Winner of the seven to ten-year-olds triathlon Jayson Simons, eight, said his Mom had entered him into the race.
The Paget Primary pupil said: “It was the first time I have done a triathlon. I will do it next year, it was fun.”
And the winner of the Try a Tri, Nigel Godfrey, said: “I was a regular doing triathlons up to about five years ago. It was great when I finished, I hate swimming and I hate running.”
Ed Jordan, head of Tokio Millennium Re’s Bermuda Branch, said the rain and the wind failed to dampen people’s spirits.
“I was very impressed by everyone’s commitment. From first to last, I thought all the competitors fought as hard as they could.
“As a firm we believe in the importance of sport as a way of bringing everyone together and as a way of getting fit and healthy. From what I saw, this event did both.”
Zoe Kempe, who organized the event, thanked everyone who took part and also those who helped make the event a success.
“There are too many people to thank who donate their time and resources to help make our event a success. Butterfield and Vallis and Steven Petty need a special mention and also The Royal Bermuda Yacht Club has been extremely understanding about the closing of Albuoy’s Point and the area in front of their club for community events and we thank them for that.”
