SUPER SPRINT CROWN WELL WORTH THE WAIT FOR JACOB BIRTWHISTLE

Posted in Other News

Triathlon, December 16, 2012: Australia’s latest rising triathlon star Jacob Birtwhistle left the Gold Coast 12 months ago with his arm in sling, facing a year of frustration after breaking his collarbone in a bike accident on the opening day of Triathlon Australia’s Super Sprint race Weekend.

Today, the 17-year-old Launceston College student from Tasmania, showed just why so many keen judges in the wider Australian triathlon community, are excited about his future, when he produced a stunning performance to wrap up the 2012 Super Sprint crown with 206.5 points – almost 80 points ahead of his nearest rival.

“Last year was the most frustrating year of my life; even after I recovered from the injury, I wasn’t happy with any of my races,” said Birtwhistle, who had some big tongues wagging at the Runaway Bay Super Centre.

“But this weekend has more than made up for the disappointment of last year and the last 12 months. I was particularly pleased to improve my transitions every time I raced.”

The champion track runner-turned triathlete, was just one of a record 170 ITU Junior and ITU Youth athletes from every State in Australia converged on the Gold Coast for a non-stop weekend of racing – six races for the Youth athletes (13-15) and seven for the ITU Juniors (16-19).

And in the most dominant display by any athlete, it was Birtwhistle who claimed five victories from his seven starts in an eclectic array of events, from swimming time trials; an Aquathon; criterium bike racing; track running and various combinations of all of the above in three traditional triathlons of swim, bike and run.

But it was today’s Super Sprint Grand Final that saw 16 of the best ITU Australian Junior Men line up for the final event – the 400m swim (in the pool); 8km bike and 2.4km run (on the track) that captured the imagination of the crowd – that included triathlon legends Craig Walton, Peter Robertson, Miles Stewart and Jan Rehula – who were all nodding their heads in approval.

It suited Birtwhistle down to the ground. He was very much in touch after eight laps of the pool, knowing he had to stay in touch on the bike which he did in style before hitting the second transition in the first pack of 10.

But by the end of the long transition Birtwhistle was well and truly in second place on the run behind Luke Willian (QLD) and in front by the end of the first of the six run laps.

He then proceeded to give spectators a graceful display of running that saw all eyes on the track focused on a young athlete who has been the centre of a tug-o-war between athletics and triathlon.

Just last week Birtwhistle ran his second personal best on the track clocking 8 mins:09 secs (previous PB 8:22) to run third in the 3000 metres at the Zatopek Meet for Under 20s in Melbourne after his previous PB in the 5000m of 14.19 (previous PB 14:36) at the Victorian Championships.

Birtwhistle’s long term goals are the gold medals in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and then the 2020 Games and he knows if he’s going to one day match it with the best then he has to be the complete package.

“For the moment I am training full time for triathlon but I am also keeping my running going as well; I know that if I’m going to beat the Brownlees on day (his heroes Alistair and Jonathan) then I’m going to have to run like a runner,” said Birtwhistle, who has now earned an automatic selection in his first major team, the Australian Youth Olympic Festival Team in Sydney next month (January 18,19).

“My swimming is improving and so is my bike and I am lucky to have Craig Redman looking after my triathlon training and planning; Trent Hadley in the pool and Ken Gillard on the track.

“To make the AYOF team is an honour for all the reasons and I can’t wait to represent Australia against the other countries - I am really looking forward to it.

“I have only seen photos and videos of the previous event to try and get a feel for what to expect.”

Birtwhistle will be joined on the AYOF team by Matt Baker (NSW) 128.5 pts and Willian (QLD) 119.75 pts who all gained automatic selection in the men’s team while Queensland training partners Jodie Duff (161.5pts) Brittany Dutton (155.5) and Holly Grice (145.25) all gained automatic selection in the women’s team.

It was a red-letter day for the Dan Atkins Racing Team (DAT Racing) who not only filled the top three but the top four with new recruit from Victoria Anna Coldham (143.5) edging out Australian Junior Champion Jaz Hedgeland (122.5).

Today’s Grand Final saw Dutton play the waiting game in the early part of the run before making her move to charge away from Duff with Hedgeland putting together her best race of the weekend, after returning to training just under three weeks ago after spending 2012 concentrating on her Year 12 examinations.

Going into the Grand Final, Dutton was sitting in fourth place behind Coldham, Duff and Grice but victory in the double points final race sealed victory and the overall crown.

Triathlon Australia’s Elite Selection Panel is expected to name the fourth members of the AYOF Team tomorrow.

Meanwhile Hedgeland’s younger sister, 15-year-old Kira (164 pts) nailed the final event in last night’s ITU Youth Grand Final for her double points victory to beat Queensland’s 15-year-old Jessica Corliss (147.50) with Victoria’s Hayley Stanford (107pts) third.

After six races in the ITU Youth Men, it was 15-year-old Matthew Hauser who had accumulated a total of 185 points from four wins and two second placings in a dominant display to take the win from fellow 15-year-old Queenslander Harry Sweeney (126 pts) and NSW’s 14-year-old Caleb Agostino-Morrow (106.75).

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia.