LIME BVI has announced that it has come to the support of Road Racing Champion of the Virgin Islands Reuben J. A. Stoby as he seeks to make his dream of competing at the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan a reality. Photo: Todd VanSickle/Facebook

For 2016, Reuben J. A. Stoby has already won the Dive BVI 5K Series, Blenheim Trust 5K Series and Dive BVI 10K Series and recently won his leg of the Tortola Torture. Photo: Provided

Reuben J. A. Stoby (left) was named Road Racing Athlete of the Year 2015 and continues to dominate the road racing scene in the VI. He has also competed twice in Guadeloupe and hopes to make a bigger impression on the regional scene as he continues to improve. Photo: Dean 'The Sportsman' Greenaway

Stoby was named Road Racing Athlete of the Year 2015 and continues to dominate the road racing scene in the VI. He has also competed twice in Guadeloupe and hopes to make a bigger impression on the regional scene as he continues to improve.

He is the holder of several course records and is the All Comers 5K Champion of the VI.

Olympic dreams!

Although he just started competing in road races in 2013 after making a switch from football, Stoby is quickly becoming a household name as he continues to be top of the competition at various distances. In 2015, Stoby ran unbeaten in 2 mile, 5K and 10k races and was 2^nd in the Virgin Gorda Half Marathon and 4^th in the BVI Half Marathon.

The ultimate goal for Stoby, however, is to qualify for the Marathon at the 2020 Olympics to be held in Tokyo, Japan.

The 2020 Olympics will be particularly special to Stoby as it was in Tokyo, Japan that one of the athletes that has inspired him, Billy Mills, shocked everyone when he won the 10,000 metres in 1964, becoming the first and only American to win that title.

“Billy Mills and the legendary Haile Gebrselassie are my heroes in distance running. Mills is Native American like I am and some of the struggles he endured I can relate to. He inspires me because despite great obstacles and the fact that not many believed in him Mills believed in himself and the rest is history.

“It will be an honour to qualify for the Olympics but more so to compete in the country where Mills achieved that remarkable feat. It will be special if I can compete there. Hopefully I can do something special also,” Stoby said.

And even though it is some four years away, the talented and focused athlete knows that he has lots of work to do to get himself in shape to qualify.

LIME BVI connects with Stoby

LIME BVI is also aware of this and has decided to assist Mr Stoby in his ambitious endeavour.

“I want to thank LIME BVI for believing in me and committing to sponsoring me this year, 2016 as I begin to work towards living my dream. Believing is the second step after dreaming and now it is time for me to work harder and start achieving, achieving my set goals that will take me to the ultimate one- Olympic qualification.”

Stoby said that along the way he also wants to inspire and encourage persons to believe in themselves and work towards their dream. “If I can be a positive example to people then I would have achieved a part of my goal as well.”

2016 accomplishments

Meanwhile, for this year Stoby has already won the Dive BVI 5K Series, Blenheim Trust 5K Series and Dive BVI 10K Series and recently won his leg of the Tortola Torture.

The champion athlete dominated the field in the Beef Island leg of the Blenheim Trust 5K Series on Saturday April 2, 2016 and was the only male athlete to catch all of the females who were given a 3-minute head start. The defending champion of the series, Stoby clocked 17:56 to top the field of 38 runners.

The hard working Stoby then followed up that winning performance with victory in the first leg of the Dive BVI 10K series on Virgin Gorda on April 9, bettering a field of 33 runners on the tough course known as ‘The Beast’.

Stoby’s goals this year are to defend his many titles and add the VG Half Marathon and BVI Half Marathon to his collection of championships, while improving his personal bests at all of those distances.

He has already achieved a PB of 17:07 at 5K.