CRAIGS CALL SEES JODIE LEAD DAT RACING TEAM TO YOUTH OLYMPICS

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Triathlon, December 16, 2012: A phone call from Olympian and Triathlon Australia’s National Talent Academy coach Craig Walton was all it took to get Jodie Duff back on her bike.

The 18-year-old former schoolgirl running star who also showed enormous promise in triathlon was at a cross roads in her career after suffering illness and injury back to back in 2011.

The Queensland University student was in the doldrums with no immediate thoughts of pursuing her sporting dreams.

But a phone call from Walton, the Sydney 2000 Olympian, one of the legends of triathlon in Australia and now a two-time Olympic coach, quickly put her career back on track.

Prompted by her own coach, Dan Atkins (DAT Racing) in Brisbane, Walton gave Duff some timely words of advice and before long she was back training in one of the best young squads in Australian triathlon.

“Dan suggested I give Jodie a call and give her some words of encouragement. I told her to believe in her self and that she was in the best possible hands with Dan,” said Walton, who was trackside watching Duff crowned ITU Junior Super Sprint Race Weekend Champion at Runaway Bay on Sunday.

“She is a very talented young lady, who has come from a strong running background and 12 months ago had been recovering from illness and injury and didn’t really know what to do.

“But she has spent the last 12 months with her head down and under Dan’s watchful eye and all that hard work has paid off – I think she’s ready to shine over the next two years.

“It was great to see her race so well over the weekend.”

Duff was one of five DAT Racing girls who dominated the Super Sprint Race Weekend which consisted of seven races over three days – including three sprint triathlons, swimming time trials, Aquathon, criterium bike riding and running.

And after finishing third overall on times in the pool for 50, 100 and 200m freestyle behind noted swimmer Brittany Forster and her new teammate, former Victorian Anna Coldham, she proved to be the most consistent performer over the weekend.

Victory in the Super Sprint Triathlon (300m swim; six km bike; 1.6km run) and second to team mate Brittany Dutton in Sunday’s double points Grand Final Super Sprint (400m swim; six km bike and 2.4km run) was enough to snatch the victory and a place in the Australian team for the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney next month.

Duff (161.5pts) was crowned overall champion; Dutton, who gained maximum points in Sunday’s race finished second (155.5) with another DAT Racing team member Holly Grice (145.25) holding on to third ahead of Coldham (143.5) and Australian Junior Champion Jaz Hedgeland (WA) , who was third in Sunday’s Grand Final, fifth on 1.22.5.

Duff, Dutton and Grice all earned automatic selection for the AYOF.

But coming into the final day it was anyone’s podium with Coldham leading Duff, Grice, Dutton and another DAT racer Sophie Malowiecki, who finished like a train in the Grand Final to finish sixth overall.

Hedgeland’s third place on Sunday was her best result of the weekend, considering she has only been back in training for just under three weeks after completing her Year 12 studies at Rossmoyne Senior High in Perth.

Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia.