Gold To Tasmania’s Natalea Smith and silver to NSW’s Matt Baker… in Hyde Park Aquathlon..
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Triathlon Australia, September 13, 2013: LONDON. Meanwhile in the yesterday’s Aquathlon World Championships Australia finished with one gold, six silver and two bronze medals
Gold went to Tasmania’s excitement machine Natalea Smith who led an Australian quinella with Sydney’s Dee Why lifesaver Emma Jeffcoat taking silver in the 16/19 years Age event.
Smith, a Launceston schoolgirl, has made a name for herself in running and triathlon circles over the past two seasons and showed all her potential with her first world title, while Jeffcoat, also a champion lifesaver on Sydney’s Northern Beaches who is the reigning Australian Under 19 2km beach run event.
NSW Central Coast triathlete Matt Baker claimed a surprise silver in the Junior Aquathlon around the one kilometre swim-five kilometre course around Hyde Park.
Baker, a reserve for the Australian team for tomorrow’s ITU World Junior Triathlon Championship, jumped at the opportunity to race over the one-kilometre swim and five kilometre run course that attracted hundreds of starters across a host of age groups from around the world.
The 19-year-old Keiran Barry trained National Talent Academy athlete surprised even himself with his podium finish.
“That was a real surprise – I came out of the swim in a close up fifth and managed to run a few down and hang on for silver – I couldn’t be happier,” said Baker, who will tackle his Age Group Triathlon on Friday.
“I felt really good in the swim early on and was sitting in second but was content to come out of the water in touch with the leaders.
“The run was strong and I was pumped to cross the line in second - the atmosphere out on the course was awesome.”
Baker, who was as member of the Australian Youth Olympic Team where he finished fifth in Sydney in January, has been on tour with the Australian Commonwealth Games funded Triathlon Australia junior team, under the direction of National Athlete Development Manager, Craig Redman.
He was able to split the British pair of gold medallist of Morgan Davies and bronze medallist James Teagle.
In the Age group and Para-Triathlon Aquathlons Australia also collected minor medals with:
Craig O’Donnell (QLD) and Carl Fannon (VIC) finishing third and fourth respectively in the 34-39 years age group.
Cath Chatterton (NSW) – Silver in the women’s 40/44 years
Drew Westbrook (QLD) – silver in the 40-44 years;
Ray Hunt (NSW) – silver in the 70-74 years.
Nic Beveridge (QLD) – silver in the Para Tri 1 Aquathlon and;
Justin Godfrey 3rd in the Para Tri 5 Class.
Issued on behalf of Triathlon Australia…..
Ian Hanson| Media Manager Triathlon Australia
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