Kerry Dowling couldn't wipe the smile off his face the first time he competed in the Hawaii Ironman back in 1983.
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Forty-five years later the Wollongong triathlete was still smiling after winning the 75-79 years-old age group category in the Peoplecare Triathlon in Wollongong on Sunday.
The victory in 3.19 minutes saw the 77-year-old crowned Australian champion and earn a place to compete in next year's World Cup in Wollongong.
"I'll be the wrong end of the age group but it doesn't matter. I can't wait to compete in front of family and friends again," Dowling said.
"I'll just train my bum off and just be part of it. I think it will be something special."
The modest Dowling said he was ecstatic to win in front of family and friends on Sunday.
"There's plenty of people out there that are better than me but you've got to turn up. I've been doing it for more than 45 years and it's a great lifestyle. It keeps you young," he said.
"I basically do a triathlon every day before breakfast.
"I get up at 3.35am, I ride for about 45 minutes, then I run for about 25 minutes but that includes a lot of stairs, then I swim about 1500 metres at the Continental pools.
"I swim 10.5 kilometres a week. It's 42 kms a month and it's 500 something a year."
Dowling became "hooked" on competing in triathlons ever since he experienced "the beauty and drama" of the Hawaii Ironman in 1983
"After the first race I just couldn't get the smile off my face," he said.
"Forty-five years later I'm still going and loving it just as much."
Dowling was one of 13 to be crowned Australian Age Group champions on Sunday.
Bailey Tuddenham from the Ballarat Triathlon Club took the tape in the men's Olympic distance claiming the Australian title in the 15-19 Age Group.
The 18-year-old Tuddenham obliterated his competitors, finishing in a time of 1 hour 53 minutes and 04 seconds, which was more than three minutes ahead of his nearest rival.
"The boys made me work for it, but it was a good day out," Tuddenham said.
"Under my coach Tim Reed - I couldn't have done it without him - we decided to swim in the pack and hit the bike pretty hard, see if we could get a gap which we did and then held on for dear life in the run and it paid off in the end."
The Ballarat teenager was impressed by Wollongong and the undulating course.
"It's an amazing place. The course was interesting and it was technical, it was good. Really enjoyed it," he said.
In a family affair, Bailey's mother Emma Tuddenham won silver in the women's 35-39 age group while grandfather Brett O'Neill won bronze in the men's 60-64 age group.
Competing in her first triathlon over an Olympic distance, Natalie Morgan (Trivelo Coaching) claimed the Australian title in the women's 20-24 age group in a convincing 2 hours, 22 minutes and 36 seconds, which was more than eight minutes ahead of the second placed competitor.
Incredibly, Morgan only stepped up her training in the last two weeks having previously focused on the sprint distance.
"I wasn't really sure how I'd go or how I'd feel but it was definitely harder than I expected," Morgan said.
"I didn't realise I was in first until they said it as I ran across (the line) because I had no idea who was around me. It was actually really cool.
"I've only been training for it for the last couple of weeks otherwise I've just done sprint and only for a couple of years, I actually really enjoyed it. Plenty hard with all the hills but other than that it was pretty good."
With a background in soccer, Morgan is still finding her feet in the sport.
"I only started two years' ago. I switched over because of injuries and I didn't have many goals when I started. I enjoyed biking, had never swam before and never ran much other than soccer.
"I want to see where I go with it, I'm really enjoying my training right now and I feel like I'm in a good spot for it, I have to see where the next year takes me," she said.
It took Morgan and her family two days to drive from their home in Berwick, Victoria, and she was pleased they made the journey to Wollongong.
"It's my first time in Wollongong. It's nice we race so close to the beach. The road was super smooth it's probably the smoothest bike course I've been on," she said.
ACT competitor Georgie Hicks (JT Multisport) celebrated her third podium result in as many weeks when she crossed the line in third place in the women's 30-34 age group.
"I feel so good. Honestly, it was a hard race and I just put everything out there and I'm racing around on a road bike and I'm just trying to hold onto people as much as I can," Hicks said.
"Then the sun came up and it got hotter and I thought, I've got to focus on the finish line and I'm so glad to be done and to finish strong."
The result in Wollongong caps off a month of strong racing for Hicks, with wins at the Nepean super sprint and Tour de Brisbane duathlon.
"I decided to finish the season here doing the standard, it was a nice way to finish it off and I'm so happy with how everything's gone.
"My next big thing is going to Townsville for the Multisport Age Group World Championships, so doing the sprint and standard duathlon there and the aquathon.
"I've only passed through (Wollongong) a couple of times before and this is the first time that I've stopped and appreciated it. The beach, the coast, the lighthouse everything is beautiful. I was walking around yesterday thinking I could live here. It's so nice.
"I'd love to come back here next year for the triathlons," Hicks concluded.
2024 Aus Triathlon Age Champions:
15-19: Bailey Tuddenham and Grace Kells
20-24: Kester McQueen and Natalie Morgan
25-29: Michael Cappadona and Megan Chapple
30-34: Thomas Kearns and Katie Remond
35-39: Luke Jones and Angela Sandral
40-44: Travis Shields and Lisa Marangon
45-49: Nathan Stewart and Nicole Ward
50-54: Troy Collins and Nicky Western
55-59: Mark Clough and Chris Ryan
60-64: Philip Bird and Marion Hermitage
65-69: David McEwan and Kim Elvery
70-74: Robert Picken and Jillian Wisbey
75-79: Kerry Dowling and Shirley Rolston.
Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
