By Kristel Satumbaga
Duty to the nation comes first for triathlete Claire Adorna as she trades her racing gears for military uniform as the country continues to wage war against the coronavirus pandemic.
The two-time Southeast Asian Games gold medalist currently serves as a frontliner with the Philippine Navy since the start of the quarantine, becoming one of the many national athletes who answered to the call of duty.
Adorna is based at the Bonifacio Naval Station, where she is responsible for thermal scanning, duty gangway and office watch for four hours every day.
The 26-year-old didn’t mind the responsibilities, knowing that the country needs her more now as a military personnel with the current situation.
But it still didn’t stop her from keeping herself in top shape for future races.
“Nakakapag-training pa rin naman po ako. After every duty, I make sure na makatakbo at maka-bike po ako,” Adorna said.
She usually trains outdoors at the Navy Golf Club.
She hopes they can get access to swimming pools soon for a complete training regimen.
At the moment, Adorna juggles her military and athletic responsibilities. Though on duty, coaches Edgar Pedregosa, Mario Canja and Ani De Leon still supervise her training.
The Triathlon Association of the Philippines (TRAP) has been keeping tabs of their national athletes, monitoring their training situations during lockdown.
They have submitted their report for the month of May to the Philippine Sports Commission, where they hope their athletes can maximize training by the end of the month.
