2024 World Triathlon Age-Group Championships in Torremolinos-Andalucía - Terry Jack
Pre-Race Prep:
Leading up to race day, I was thrilled to be part of the New Zealand team, representing the best triathlon club in the country. With two events on my schedule – the sprint triathlon and the aquabike – I had plenty to look forward to. My strategy was focused on analysing the course conditions, optimising transitions, and pushing hard in each discipline. I was especially excited for the aquabike, as it features my two strongest disciplines.
Swim Segment - Sprint Triathlon:
Watching the earlier age groups start helped me plan my swim approach. I noticed the Mediterranean Sea current was pulling swimmers left, so I positioned myself to the right, which worked perfectly as I was right on target for the first buoy. Exiting the water quickly, I headed into transition with a focus on avoiding last year’s penalty by making sure all my swim gear was placed properly in the box.
Transition Insights:
In T1, I took extra care to avoid penalties, which had caught me out before. I set my watch to auto-transition, which worked brilliantly and allowed me to focus fully on each leg. This was especially helpful during the fast-paced switch from the swim to the bike and then later from the bike to the run.
Bike Course - Sprint Triathlon:
The bike leg was fantastic, with a balanced mix of gentle climbs, flat sections, tight corners, and downhill stretches that kept things exciting. I powered through each part of the course, pushing hard all the way to the dismount line, ready for the final leg.
Run Experience - Sprint Triathlon:
The flat run course was ideal, and I managed to hit my dream pace for the first kilometre. But as the run went on, I started to feel the burn! While I dropped a few places, finishing 8th, I was happy with my effort and see it as motivation to work on my running strength for next year.
Aquabike - Swim and Bike:
The aquabike event was the one I was especially excited about, as it plays to my strengths. Being a year older in my age group added extra motivation to improve or at least match last year’s performance – especially with Steven Farrell as my coach! With no significant current, I positioned myself in the middle of the start line and focused on keeping a clean line with the buoys. The 40k non-drafting bike leg was all about maximising power and maintaining my lead, which I managed right until the final stretch.
A Quick Recovery:
Towards the end of the bike, I cut a corner tightly to avoid slowing down for someone riding wide. My bike slid out from under me, and I hit the road, but all I could think was, "Get back on that bike!" Thankfully, I managed to get back up, the chain stayed on, and I sprinted through the final kilometre to finish three minutes ahead of last year’s winner.
Overall Highlights:
One of the best parts of the championships was the incredible atmosphere and pride in being part of the New Zealand team. There’s always room to improve, especially on my run, but finishing ahead of last year’s winner in aquabike felt like a huge achievement. Overall, I’m thrilled with my performance and grateful for the experience – it’s all motivation for next year!
