Czech Bouncing Back in Triathlon Despite a World of Differences

Jaro Snopek’s definition of happiness might seem a bit strange, but when one comes from pre-revolutionary Czechoslovakia, rows of canned peas can look more appealing than the most pristine beach.

“Going to grocery store is like paradise here,” Snopek said. “It’s so different.”

Snopek has encountered a world of difference in the triathlon as well. In 1987, ranked among the top five triathletes in Czechoslovakia, Snopek left his homeland, eventually arriving in the United States two years later. He immediately found the triathlon competition in a free-market nation much tougher.

For example, in Sunday’s Oxnard Sports Festival triathlon, Snopek’s 1-hour, 54-minute effort left him 18 minutes behind the winner--six minutes behind the first woman finisher.

“It’s much harder now to be among the top. It is a very popular sport here,” Snopek said. “It is my dream to be on top, but now I am a little discouraged. You need a lot of time for training and you need time to work.

“It is very hard to combine this. The triathlon takes a lot of time.”

Snopek, who has lived in Chatsworth since his arrival in the United States, works as a lifeguard in Santa Monica. Partly because of that, the swim portion of his race is usually among his strongest.

“I get to bike and swim every day, so I am strong in those events,” Snopek said.

This despite the fact that he doesn’t have a wet suit--they aren’t manufactured in Czechoslovakia--and didn’t have ready access to a good bicycle until moving to the United States.

“In Czechoslovakia, it was so hard for the people to buy a bike or to get equipment,” he said. “If you want to be good, you need good equipment. I improved my time when I came here, just because I had better equipment.”

And, perhaps, because he is getting caught up in the spirit of competition that he finds so prevalent here.

“Americans are like kids, they just love this and it is like a game for them,” he said. “I like that.”