Surgeon named Air Force Male Athlete of the Year; sets sight to 2012 Olympic Games

  • Published
  • By Margie Arnold
  • 21st Force Support Squadron marketing
PETERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Colo. (AFNS) --  An orthopedic surgeon on staff at the U.S. Air Force Academy Hospital with the 21st Force Support Squadron has been named U.S. Air Force Male Athlete of the Year for 2010.

Captain James Bales received the award at the annual Air Force Sports Directors Conference recently in San Diego.

Captain Bales found his niche in triathlons. Now, he is part of the two-year U.S.A.F. World Class Athlete Program, which allows him to train for the 2012 Olympic Trials and Olympic Games.

He started competing in triathlons after graduating from the USAF Academy in 2001, where he was a member of the varsity swimming team. First, it was Ironman Wisconsin in 2002; then, he raced annually in the Armed Forces Championship beginning in 2003. More recently, he competed in the 2007 World Military Games and the 2008 Ironman World Championship. Captain Bales has several other races under his belt.

Captain Bales was one of 78 of the military's top athletes who competed in the 2010 Armed Forces Triathlon in June at Naval Base Ventura County, Point Mugu, Calif. He completed a 1,500 meter swim, 40-K bike and 10-K run to win the event in 1:46:32, and won his first gold medal.

In qualifying for the 2012 Olympics, Captain Bales plans to compete next in Honduras in January.