Gunnedah Triathlon Club athletes made their mark at the National Super Sprint Triathlon Championships in Penrith last weekend, claiming two national titles and a silver medal.
In a historic first for the club, mother-and-daughter duo Donna Hickey and Sarah Stewart claimed Australian titles on the same day.
While Donna was no stranger to the podium – having won several national titles – this was Sarah’s first national triumph in triathlon.
Braving torrential rain, competitors tackled a challenging 250m open-water swim, a 10km non-drafting cycle race and a 2.5km run.
The shorter distances made for fast and fierce racing, with Gunnedah’s athletes rising to the occasion.
Sarah took out the 35-39 age group, finishing strongly in the run while Donna dominated the 65-69 category as she led from start to finish.
Kelly Watson also impressed, securing silver in the highly competitive 45-49 age group and finishing sixth overall.
Club coach John Hickey praised the performances, saying “the female athletes are setting the standard for the club, handling the tough, wet conditions exceptionally well”.
The next generation of triathletes was also on display, with seven-year-old Reggie Stewart showcasing her developing skills in the non-competitive junior event.
At the Christian Schools Sports Association (CSSA), Hills Zone Sports Association (HZSA) and Co-Educational Anglican Schools Association (CASA) Schools Triathlon last Friday, competitors included Jedd and Flynn McIntosh from Carinya Christian School.
Jedd placed fifth in the 15-16 year category while his younger brother finished fourth in the 13-14 age group.
Jedd didn’t have much time to recover, as he backed up to do the run leg in the school team event.
His stellar performance ran his team into first place, as he showed incredible effort and determination.
To order photos from this page click here
