By Joseph Staszewski
Sam Zampelli’s attempt to lose weight through triathlons has become a life-changing experience.
The junior joined Queens Metropolitan High School’s triathlon club, the only one of its kind in New York City, to get in shape for a better quality of life and enhance his participation in gymnastics. He’s done that — dropping 40 pounds since September — but is also hooked on training for the running, swimming and biking competition.
“Gymnastics, there is a time limit on it,” Zampelli said. “You can’t do it past your 30s, but with this I saw a woman on my first run and she was like 80-something and beating me. You can do this for your life.”
The triathlon seems like a grueling event, but it was more appealing to the 19 students involved because of its diversity. No practice is the same. They spend some running in Forest Park and others swimming in Flushing Meadow Corona Park pool.
They will also ride stationary bikes at the school or those brought by the coaches. In addition to the training, the team is continually fund-raising, mostly through bake sales, to afford proper bikes and help lower the cost of entering events.
“Running, after you do it a long time, it gets boring,” junior captain Elena Hlinka said. “Mixing like swimming, then biking, then different core workouts and weight training is more fun.”
Hlinka was instrumental in the club’s inception. She met head Coach Eric Stein at orientation and inspired him to push for a club he’s been thinking about and discussed with former students over the summer.
Stein, who has completed triathlons, and top assistant Coaches Roberto Escobar and Michelle Varuzza are preparing the athletes for competing in indoor and outdoor triathlons. A small number of the students competed for the first time two weeks ago in an indoor triathlon and were some of the top finishers at the event.
“They were really amazed by what that did,” Hlinka said. “I’m looking forward to racing because just training is kind of boring without racing.”
The long-term goal isn’t just for Queens Metropolitan’s team to be successful, but to have it be the first of many throughout the city. The group has already caught the attention of Mayor Michael Bloomberg and city Schools Chancellor Dennis Walcott, who joined them for a fund-raiser in late December. They are not apart of or funded by the Public School Athletic League, but Stein is hoping to grow the sport.
“We want a team to compete against,” Stein said. “I’m hoping to lay the groundwork to set the precedent so other teams pick up the sport.”
They have taken the first step by inspiring some of their schoolmates.
“A lot of people come up to me and ask if Stein is still taking members,” Zampelli said. “All the time.”
