Former Young resident Trish Foxall will make her debut as an Australian representative this weekend at the International Triathlon World Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands.
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Foxall competed in her first triathlon less than 12 months ago as a member of the Cowra Triathlon Club quickly gaining the fitness needed to complete a Sprint Distance triathlon.
The Sprint event involves a 750 metre open water swim, a 20km bike ride, finishing with a 5km run.
Her aim at the beginning of last season was to compete in an Enticer event (200 metre swim, 10km ride and 2km run) at Husskinson on the South Coast in mid February but before she realised what had happened her coach had entered her for a World Championship qualifier over the Sprint Distance in Melbourne in February this year and her destiny was set.
“You're never too old to achieve something amazing,” Trish said after receiving notification in May that she had made the Australian team in the 45 to 49 year age group.
One of her team mates is Sydney Olympic Games silver medalist Michellie Jones.
Jones has also won two ITU World Championships and an Ironman World Championships.
“You don't have to be skinny to be strong,” Trish said of her selection which she admits brought a tear to her eye.
“It's incredible what your body can do when you put your mind to it.
“You only need one person to believe in you until you believe in yourself .
“Don't ever let anyone tell you you can't - you can,” she said of her selection.
Training for this weekend’s event has involved hundreds of hours on the bike, twice weekly trips to Blayney, 45 minutes from Cowra for swim training and hundreds of kilometres of pounding the pavement for run training.
Asked about her prospects in Rotterdam Trish replied: “Will I come first, absolutely not, will I come last, absolutely not?”.
Trish will be joined by fellow Cowra Triathlon Club members, Dave and Bron Porter, mother and daughter Jane Ryder and Sarah Armstrong and her coach Andrew Fisher as part of the Australian team competing in the International Triathlon Union world titles.
All are members of the Australian Sprint team.
Qualifying commenced with a race in Adelaide before further qualifiers in Canberra, Kurnell and then Melbourne.
Dave Porter will compete in the 45 to 49 year division, Andrew Fisher in the 50 to 54 division, Bron Porter in the 40 to 44 division, Trish Foxall in the 45 to 49 division, Jane Ryder in the 50 to 54 division and Sarah Armstrong in the 35 to 39 division.
