Utah Tri Buzz: Santiago to SLC: Welcome Colomba Nahum!

If you haven't heard, 2 junior elite triathletes have recently joined us all the way from Chile! Please join us in welcoming Roberto Porras and Colomba Nahum, who are training under the tutelage of Wes Johnson and team BAM.

We posted Roberto's interview last week, and now it's Colomba's turn. She got many of the same questions as Roberto, as we wanted to get her perspective as well.

How did you get into triathlon as your athletic focus at such a young age?

When I was little I tried sports such as tennis and golf. I also tried multiple school sports, and my favorite was hockey. It was ultimately a big decision for me choosing between triathlon and hockey.

At my school, I had a classmate who practiced triathlon. From the moment he told me about it, I was very excited to start. Three sports in one was a dream! Throughout the years, I have had great experiences in triathlon and I hope to have more experiences training here in Salt Lake City.

What led to the huge move to Salt Lake, and when did you arrive? Do you have a host family here?

I just arrived three weeks ago. Roberto and his dad have hosted me during this time, and will continue to until I start my studies.

My two big reasons moving to Salt Lake were triathlon and university. In Chile it's impossible to practice triathlon at a high level while studying, and to succeed in a professional career.

What was your family’s reaction to the move, were they 100% on board?

My family has always supported me in every decision. And if moving to Salt Lake was going to help me grow as an athlete, they were absolutely on board.

Had you been to the States before? What were the biggest culture shocks you experienced when you moved here?

I have been to the US many times. It's always shocking to me how polite people are, and of course all the opportunities for everything. This is my first time in Salt Lake. The biggest culture shocks I have experienced is how calm and nice people are, considering the number of people, traffic, etc.

So clearly you knew Roberto beforehand in Chile?

In Chile we were part of the same triathlon team. As we were part of the same group we shared many moments and events together.

Are you digging “American” food or is it disgusting? What’s the best & worst thing you’ve eaten that you hadn’t tried before?

I eat very healthy, so definitely prefer home cooked meals. I love having a good piece of meat or salmon, more than a piece of pizza or burger.

Being 18, are you attending high school here like Roberto or have you already graduated? If attending school here, are you competing on any high school teams like he is?

I have already graduated in my home country. So I will be competing only as part of the BAM team.

With regards to triathlon, what is your biggest strength to weakness of the 3 disciplines?

Swimming has always been my weakness. Wes will have a lot of work with me haha, but I know I will improve a lot, especially my catch. In the last two years I got involved in trail running, which helped running become a huge strength.

How long will you be with us, and what are your race plans for next year?

I will be in Salt Lake until I start my studies. This off-season I'll build on the base I have built during the last years, and train properly. I also need to recover from a foot problem that has kept me from running much over the last 3 months.

My race plans as of now are racing Clermont and the South American Championships, both in March 2017.

What are your triathlon goals for the future?

Right know I’m thinking a focus on long course races, which I think is a good fit for me. But when talking about these upcoming years, I want to race more, and focus on my last year as a junior athlete. I have a lot to improve in short course racing.