The event took place in the Marunuma Katashina Tone District located in Japan’s Gunma Prefecture, where over 200 other triathletes competed alongside Carey.
After asking her about the tournament, Carey stated, “I am happy about my race. I won in Japan, which is my home!” She also stated that starting the race alongside men made her want to push more.
The race began with a 1,200 m swim in 24º Celsius water. Carey joked around, saying that the water was not warm for her, seeing that she came from Saipan.
Mountain biking through 25 km of off-road terrain proved to be the hardest obstacle for Mieko Carey. Rain and lightning were mere setbacks, compared to the hazards posed by the lake, which rests alongside the trail. Heavy rain blurred Carey’s vision, especially with water splashing through her face as she ran the final 10 km of the course. At one point, she noted that a rope was provided to help her and other competitors climb a steep portion of the trail.
Carey finished 12th place overall, and dominated in the women’s division with a time of 3:03:04 – it took her 20:45 to swim, 1:47:15 to bike, and 55:04 to finish her final run.
Further results from Xterra Japan’s website booked United Kingdom’s Leitch Lan as the overall winner of the championship, followed by South Africa’s Boonstra Lieuwe.
Carey is now looking forward to her very first mountain bike race, which will also take place in Japan by September.
Carey will first head to Australia before attending her bike race, and will return to Saipan by September 21. She proudly represented the CNMI in the 7th Micronesian Games at Palau, earning a gold medal from the Micro Games’ triathlon event.
She thanks her sponsors, Brabu, Salomon, Zoot, Suunto, and Louis Garneau, as well as her friends on island who cheer for her.
Other events that took place in Japan this weekend include the Xterra Relay, Xterra Trail Run, and Xterra Kids Light races.
