By Patrick Lujan

For us in the Guam sporting community who pays enough attention to detail, you may have noticed a slight difference in name spelling for one of our most decorated athletes.

GSPN doesn’t use the phrase super athlete too often, but when we do, it’s for someone like Gabe Lombardi.

No spell check needed.

Gabe legally changed his last name to Lombardi.

“I legally changed it a few months back,” Lombardi said. “My grandfather dropped the “i” during World War II to sound more ‘American’ as he was establishing his medical practice.  I always wanted to take it back, now I did.”

As for the multi-sport athlete, his newest adventure (other than starting up compression company Batskin), is taking up the latest rage in Crossfit.

Lombardi competed in this past weekend’s Trench Throwdown at Chamorri Crossfit in Tamuning where he finished a respectable 8th place in the men’s division.

Division I basketball player, National Triathlon Champion and now Top 10 Crossfitter – Gabe Lombardi. (courtesy photo)

“I always appreciated mixing up workouts,” Lombardi stated in his Facebook page. “But nothing, absolutely nothing compares to the test of fitness, strength, endurance, mobility and agility than what I just experienced this weekend. Congrats to everyone who competed this weekend. The body is an incredible machine. As a former personal trainer with a degree in exercise science, as a former D1/D2 basketball player, as a half Ironman finisher … I have never felt so simultaneously wrecked and happy in my life. I didn’t finish the last round by one rope climb, but to be in the company of 10 of the fittest dudes on Guam was an honor in itself.”

He was 8th out of 38 male competitors.

OTHER SPORTS ACCOMPLISHMENTS

2012-14 XTERRA World Championship Qualifier

2013-14 XTERRA Guam Age Group Champion

2013 Pacific Island Triathlon Championship gold medalist

2013 Guam International Marathon 5K Champion (17:33)

Perimeter Relay Record Holding Team

2012 Guam National Triathlon Champion

2002/3 – University of Hawaii Men’s Basketball Western Athletic Conference Champion

2001/2 – University of Hawaii Men’s Basketball team member

2001 – St. John’s High School Basketball (led league in scoring 28.8 ppg)

1998-2001 – All-Island High School Basketball Team