For Olympic athletes with local ties, chance to compete for another country in Rio feels 'surreal'

"It really does feel surreal," Powell said in an email from Rio. "If you told me four years ago that I was going to make it to the 2016 Olympics, I would have thought you were crazy! But over past year, I willed it to happen through positive thinking and a great support team. To represent Canada at the Olympics is a great privilege that I don't take lightly. I worked really hard to get here, and I want to make Canada and my family proud. Being named on the team also means that I'm now able to carry on a legacy within my family."

Lombard, who graduated from the Naval Academy in 1988, grew up in Annapolis, attending Bates Middle and Annapolis High. But after graduating from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, where he specialized in ophthalmology, he returned to Guam to open Lombard Health Eye Clinic in Sinajana.

Lombard, who began to participate in triathlons after his gymnastics career ended, migrated to cycling and eventually captured the 2016 Guam National MTB championship in February.

"It's unbelievable to be in Rio representing Guam," Lombard wrote in an email. "I'm honored to help show the world a little of our Guam's island spirit and pride. Like many other small countries, our level of competitiveness may not be on par with the world's best, but our drive is the same and our courage is the same. We have to continue challenging ourselves to compete up to the next level."

One of only five representing Guam, Lombard is joined by Tugade, who was born the same year Lombard graduated from Navy. Tugade, who holds her country's top performances in the 100, 200, 400 and long and triple jumps and is missing out on her plebe summer to partake in the games, told Baltimore Sun Media Group that transitioning from her island nation to the academy and getting selected for the Olympics has been a bewildering experience.

"To have such a great senior season and to get the chance to compete internationally, to get an opportunity to attend the Naval Academy, then to be selected to compete in the Olympics, it's just incredible," she said. "Ever since I first started track and field [at age 12], since I found out I was good at it, I've wanted to go to the Olympics. To have it become a reality as soon as now is amazing."

Powell, the sprinter who broke the Maryland record in the 400 during the 2015 indoor and outdoor campaigns, is feeling equally good. Despite the burden of being known as Mike Powell's daughter, Micha Powell credited Terps coach Andrew Valmon with recruiting her from Canada and helping build her sense of identity.

"Andrew Valmon knew it was important for me to distinguish myself as a 400m athlete in the States and not just be known as Mike Powell's daughter," she wrote. "Therefore, although his success in the sport is undeniable, my dad knew he had to let me lay out my own path in the sport. He hasn't given me tips on dealing with the Olympics mostly because he knows that if I was really worried, I would have sought for advice, but he lets me do my own thing because he trusts in my abilities to perform."

Despite being a member of Canada's Nike-sponsored team, Powell said she wears the gold Under Armour spikes she used this past spring as a little reminder of her college years. How she will perform on sports' grandest stage is something she isn't worried about.

"It's always tough when you're in an individual sport to believe in yourself 24/7, but the goal is always the same, to better my last time and learn something new from every race," Powell wrote. "I've always been an optimistic person so instead of beating myself up over a race or thinking I can't run a fast time, I always try to remember what brought me to that moment.

edward.lee@baltsun.com

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