Alberto Romero is 25 years old, has only two competing in triathlon tests and last month he was proclaimed runner -up of Spain in Duathlon, a modality where he is already one of the national references within his age group. Its history is that of an athletes who played football in the lower categories of an elite club but ended up changing the ball for the bicycle and triathlon monkey.
Last year you competed in the Duathlon World Championship and this year you just proclaimed running from Spain in your age group (25-29 years). What goals have you set for the coming months?
For me the first part of this season was the most important, and for the first time the objectives that I had marked I have achieved. I have noticed much change compared to last year, due among other things that I am also training more. For this second half of the year my goal is to improve my performance in the swimming segment within the triathlon. And for next year what I would like is to go to the Spanish Duathlon championship in the elite category.
Do you feel more comfortable competing in duathlon or triathlon?
I like triathlon, but today I am more competitive in Duathlon. That's why I have to take advantage of it more. In addition, I am improving a lot thanks to training Emilio Aguayo every day.
"Before with running at 3:20 the kilometer in duathlon up to the podium; now you enter the 30th place. The level is very rising"
How did you get to this sport?
This is my third season in triathlon. I used to play football before, but I had to leave it due to a series of injuries and after stopping I started triathlon. It was a sport that caught my attention. I thought about doing only one, but the triathlon hooks you and ended up spending more time. It is a very attractive sport and, above all, very enjoyable to train, because you practice several sports and salotony.
How do you value that more and more athletes reach the triathlon from other disciplines?
That is being noticed a lot. There are people who are starting to compete in triathlon and who come from athletics or cycling with an impressive level. The bar are raising a lot. I notice that before, if you made 3:20 the kilometer in duathlon, you went up to the podium. Now with that brand you enter the 30th position. The level of the people who are reaching the triathlon demands to train if you want to achieve something. To be up you have to fly.
"The time to make the leap to Ironman's tests is when you have stopped being competitive in triathlon"
Do you think people keep looking at triathletes as 'weirdos' or that phase has already happened?
There are people who keep looking at you like a weird bug, because you tell you how triathlon works and they hit them that you have to practice three sports in one. Then there are also those who think that if you have not done an Ironman you have not done anything, as if only the kilometers you have to complete. But the truth is that triathlon is a very hard sport. When you start it does not seem so, but as you get goals and you want to go further, you realize that it is very difficult.
Have you considered making the leap of distance to Ironman?
Yes I have raised it, but Emilio Aguayo has recommended that until I lose speed. Now I have a good speed tip and I have to explode it in triathlon. The time to make the leap to Ironman is when you stop being competitive in Sprint and Olympic Triathlon, when you no longer have speed to compete to be on the podium but you have achieved a background that allows you to cover longer distances.
