Alia Cardinale Villalobos was the first woman to cross the finish line at the 2012 Santiago Triathlon Pan American Cup in Piedra Roja, Chile. The Tica’s victory was downright and clear, as her finish time was 2:07:58, while the second and third places in the elite triathlon were 2:10:53 and 2:10:32, respectively earned by Brazilian and South Korean competitors.

Alia was born in Ciudad Quesada and lives in San Carlos. Her first recorded international competition was in 2002 at the Cancun Triathlon World Championships, where she competed in the junior category. She began competing in the elite division in 2005, and she took third place in 2006 at La Fortuna in Costa Rica during the Central American Games.

The grueling South American landscape for triathlon events seems to suit Alia well, as she took third place twice last year; once in Valparaiso in 2011, and again that same year in Lima at the Pan American Cup. As an elite triathlete, her winning finish time of 2:07:58 this time in Santiago is not her personal best. That would be a lighting-fast 02:03:59 in Rio de Janeiro in 2007, where she placed 14^th.

This victory is very significant for Alia since it marks her first at the elite level.

Source: International Triathlon Union