Photos by Alan M. Dumoff, more photos ccdphotolibrary.smugmug.com
In June 2004, Joseph Maloy graduated from Wildwood Catholic High School. On Aug. 18 of this year, 12 years later and almost 4,000 miles away, the now 30-year-old Maloy will run, swim and bike at Copacabana Beach in Brazil as a member of the U.S. Olympic triathlon team.
On May 6, the Wildwood Catholic school community held a blue and white day in his honor, much to the surprise of their Olympian alumnus, who had returned earlier in the day from a triathlon competition in Japan, where he finished 11th overall (and first among American competitors) at the World Triathlon Yokohama.
In a Facebook post after the school tribute, Maloy addressed current Wildwood Catholic students, faculty and staff, and shared his appreciation for his time as a Crusader, where he was a standout cross-country runner and swimmer.
“My Wildwood Catholic teachers, coaches and classmates taught me what it meant to have faith, to work for ideals, and to use that work to make the world a little better,” he wrote.
Maloy’s success teaches students that “if you have a dream, and the determination to reach your goal, it’s attainable,” said Father Joseph Wallace, president of Wildwood Catholic. “He had failures, but constantly picked himself back up.”
After high school, Maloy went on to Boston College, where he spent four years on their Division 1 Men’s Swimming squad, before becoming an assistant coach there after graduation. In 2010 he became a professional triathlon racer.
After the qualifying process for this summer’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Maloy finished as the top American in the triathlon. In addition to the Japan event, he finished in sixth place overall, first among Americans, at the World Triathlon Gold Coast in Australia in April.
On May 20, the town of Wildwood honored Maloy with a ceremony at Centennial Park. The hometown hero took part in a short run with members of the Wildwood Crest Running Club and the Wild Harbor Triathlon Club.
On Facebook, he left current Wildwood Catholic high school students with “homework.” “Remember to say ‘thank you.’ No one ever accomplishes anything great alone.”
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