12 | AustrAliAn triAthlete
Jake birtwhistle
As soon as Jake finished year 12, he
made the decision to go full-time triathlon
making the jump across to Jamie Turner’s
squad, affectionately known as the
Wollongong Wizards.
“I worked with Craig Redman and the
National Talent Academy program for
three or four years, and we had discussed
it. For me, at the time, the choice was
either Jamie Turner or Craig Walton.”
“I had done some work with Craig and
his team up on the Gold Coast, so I had a
feel for it and spent a week with the
Wizards up in Falls Creek in 2013. I decided
I liked Jamie’s group and got along well
with the athletes, so I went back in January
for the month and straight to Wollongong.”
As part of the Wollongong Wizards and
as Triathlon Australia’s poster boy, Jake
had an extensive and very supportive
network during the dangerous time where
there are increased expectations in terms
of results, sponsorship and media coverage- it is easy for an athlete to get lost.
really wanted to encourage him to keep
running because it was obviously a
weapon with the ability to change speeds
and all the stuff you learn on the track.”
“We built a really good relationship
with his running coach Kim Gillard, who
was a very good runner in his own right.
Kim did a really good job looking after his
training program, and between Kim and I,
we oversaw his programs of swimming
and biking and putting it all together while
he still dabbled in both.”
Jake lived in Launceston while Redman
was in Ulverstone, so they were a 100km
apart. A lot of the training was prescription
but every weekend Jake along with
another athlete, Dylan Evans, would make
the trip up the coast.
“They would train with my squad on
Saturday and Sunday and head home
Sunday night. That went on for a while,
but we always knew at some stage that
we couldn’t give him what he wanted, and
he needed a daily training environment
and to be with a high-performance
squad,” Redman said.
From an early age, Jake clearly knew
how to win, establishing himself as one of
the hottest properties in junior athletics
representing Australia as a junior at the
World Cross Country Championships and
picking up 11 Australian titles on the track
in middle distance events and steeplechase,
setting age and open state records.
As recently as 2013, Jake was still
combining track, cross country and
triathlon, representing Australia at the
junior worlds in triathlon and cross country
and picking up the under 20, 3000m
championship at the Zatopek meet in
Melbourne, winning the final in 8:11.32.
“Over time I just grew fond of triathlon
and eventually decided that I could be
pretty good at triathlon, and my goal is an
Olympic Gold medal. Our country has a
great record in triathlon, and an Australian
definitely has more chance of medalling in
triathlon than athletics,” he said.Saturday 11 November 2017The beauty of the Whitsundays will keep you going when your
body’s ready to give up during the Fujifilm Hamilton Island
Triathlon. A 750m swim in Catseye Bay is followed by a 20km
cycle, and a 5km run through the island’s Marina Village.
Get into gear for race day on Saturday 11 November 2017.
For more information visit hamiltonisland.com.au24 June 2018
GREAT WHITEHAVEN BEACH RUNGREAT WHITEHAVEN BEACH RUN
GREAT WHITEHAVEN BEACH RUN
GREAT WHITEHAVEN BEACH RUN
12 November 2017 6 May 2018HI Fujifilm Triathlon A4 Australian Tri Magazine Jul