Media Credit: Kent Nishimura Kent Nishimura - Kalen Darling, a junior on the Rainbow Warrior swimming team, is the 2005 Amatuer World Champion in the biathlon and finished second in his age class in the triathlon.

Eyes on the Olympics
Junior swimmer is a triathlon hopeful

By Russell Tolentino / Ka Leo Associate Sport Editor

Everyone has goals.

Kalen Darling's goal is to become an Olympian.

Darling, a 21-year-old junior on the University of Hawai'i men's swimming and diving team has his eyes set on the United State's triathlon team.

The sport consists of three disciplines: swimming, running and cycling.

Darling has been swimming for most of his life on various teams and clubs. While at Moanalua High School, he was encouraged by his P.E. teacher to pick up cross-country.

His interest in the triathlon began his freshman year at MHS when he watched the "Ironman" competition in his English class.

"I got inspired by that," Darling said. "I tried my first triathlon on a rusty old mountain bike and even though I didn't do very well, I just wanted to keep doing it. ... Eventually I started taking it seriously and by my senior year in high school I was improving in my running and my swimming."

Darling raced in the 2005 World Championships for amateurs held in Honolulu; it consisted of a biathlon (running and swimming) and a triathlon. In the biathlon he came in second overall and first in his age group, giving him the title Amateur World Champion. In the triathlon he came in second for his age.

Darling has raced against professionals, but isn't eligible to win prize money because he is a collegiate athlete.

After college is done, Darling aspires to be a part of the Olympics.

"The Olympics (is) a goal in the back of my mind after performing well at the amateur World Championships," Darling said. "But it's a much more complicated process than I could have foreseen and to get at that level takes more than two to three years.

"Most guys in the Olympic team are in the late 20, early 30s. The 2012 (Olympics) could be an unrealistic goal, but 2016 not so much," he said. "But the earlier the better, I'm only getting older. I just want to accomplish everything possible within the athletic window."

But until then, Darling is embracing his time in college and on the swimming and diving team.

"It's been a great opportunity to swim for the university," Darling said. "I didn't really think I would be swimming out of high school, but the (former head) coach at UH gave me a chance."

According to current assistant coach Todd Foley, Darling was "raw" as a freshman, but because of his dedication to conditioning and his willingness to learn, he has made great strides.

"Kalen (is) improving as he becomes more experienced in the sport," Foley said. "He has transformed into being a legitimate conference meet finalist in his events."

Darling's events are the mile and the 400 individual medley, which he described as the longest event in swimming.

Foley said that the 400 IM is Darling's best event and is swimming's version of the "decathlon". Swimmers swim all four strokes, (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle) the 1650 freestyle (mile) and the 500 freestyle.

He said that Darling's strengths are in the middle of the 400 and that he has a "killer" 500 freestyle when he paces his opening correctly.

Foley said distance swimmers need to be mentally tough and need to be able to train their mind and body to remain concentrated during the lengthy event.

"A distance swimmer is constantly alone with his or her thoughts," Foley said. "Being a distance swimmer takes a dedication to training, patience, strategy and a great deal of stubbornness."

With the amount of energy needed for swimmers to practice and compete, Darling and the rest of the swimming and diving team have built quite the appetite.

Darling tries to eat five thousand to six thousand calories a day. A typical breakfast includes: five or six pieces of toast, cereal, two omelets, a couple of bagels, hash browns and a lot of chocolate milk.

"(Chocolate milk) is the perfect recovery drink," Darling said smiling. "We pretty much gobble up all the chocolate milk we can get in the cafeteria."

Then there's school.

Darling, a journalism major, said the hardest thing about balancing swimming and school is handling days when swimming isn't going well and finding the motivation to study after training so hard.

"You kind of forget you're here to go to school because you're swimming five hours a day and it takes a lot out of you mentally and physically," he said. "When we're done swimming we just feel like going back to our rooms and sleeping the day away."

"But (our team is) pretty good about managing our time. ... A lot of us get eight hours of sleep; we're all pretty good students."

Darling said that the team is relatively new, with a roster that is made up of players that have been coached or recruited under current head coach Victor Wales, who is in his third season at UH.

From Feb. 25 to 28, the Rainbow Warrior swimming and diving team will compete in the Conference USA Championships in Houston, Texas. The team has been practicing and competing all season in preparation for this event.

Darling likes the team's chances at the event.

"Since I came on to the program, the team (has gotten) better every year," he said. "We want to win a championship and beat SMU (Southern Methodist University). They're a top 25 school and we believe we are just as good. ... It's our time."

And perhaps in the future, there will be a time for Darling's shot at Olympic gold.

"I hope he does make the Olympic team," Foley said. "Kalen has the talent. The physical gifts are there."