Fun-loving Shaw shines at Primary School Triathlon

NEVER TOO early to start.

Nine-year-old Dunross Prepatory School student, Lucas Shaw, is one of the young triathletes in TT who’s living by this age-old adage, hot on the heels of a victory in the Youth 8-9 Division at last Sunday’s 2019 National Primary Schools Triathlon Championships.

He edged the competition in six minutes five seconds, in the 50-metre swim/600m ride/100m run event. What makes his victory even sweeter is that Shaw hasn’t really began kicking it into high gear as yet, admitting he hasn’t trained in months. He just shows up and delivers the goods.

The equivalent of a Standard Three student at Dunross, he described the event as “fun” and “easy,” indicating the meet was all about joyous recreation.

“I’m just focusing on having fun,” the laid-back youth revealed.

A natural athlete who plays football, tennis and just about any sport that comes his way, Shaw revealed he loved riding the most.

“You can rest while you ride and you don’t really push too much. I like swimming and I’m good at track, though, so when I win, it feels great. I feel happy,” he said.

It’s not that he isn’t trying, his approach is very different and slightly casual but the discipline is there – something instilled by his dad, Marcus, who also was an avid sportsman.

“My parents encourage me a lot and when I win, I make sure I congratulate and also support my friends. I want to make sure we’re all having fun,” Shaw said, a bit unaware of the potential and promise within.

He participated in the Rainbow Cup in Tobago two years ago right after he turned seven, and while the apprehension was there with his parents, especially with a child participating in open water, they knew as a talented youngster, he’d acclimatise to this – and competition – with ease.

A lot is attributed to his school as well where coach Angelo Clark, the Physical Education teacher and a former Atlantic YES (Youth Excellence in Sports) Coach of the Year, encourages children from all walks of life to enter the sporting field. Having these students in his Giants Triathlon and Mountain Bike Riding Club is a big reason why the school does so well, evidenced by Jon Michael Abraham’s second-placed finish to Lucas in 6:09, and Dunross ending third in the primary school relays.

“Angelo motivates kids and is well-respected. The kids love him and Dunross, in general, is fantastic at producing well-rounded athletes. My son plays pan among so many extracurriculars, he bikes in Diego Martin, Chaguaramas and so on, and is always ready to go out of the house. He doesn’t stay inside, and plays football three or four times a week at the Queen’s Park Academy,” his father confessed.

Lucas was a bit shy, but his dad did say a future in the sport as a professional athlete is something they’d look at once he figured out which sport, if any, he wanted to pursue as he excelled at so many things.

“Sports have evolved from back in my day and now, there are opportunities in schools and especially for triathletes in Europe, so we’ll see. But either way, whatever he does, I support him 100 per cent,” the parent noted.