By Nick Creely
Every little thing counts in the world of triathlon.
For Berwick local Rebecca Henderson, her determination to improve herself as an athlete comes down to those little things.
Whether it’s her diet, training or just a willingness to learn, the 17-year-old is destined for great heights.
Rebecca will jet off the sunny Gold Coast on 13 September to represent her country in the 2018 ITU World Triathlon Championships – specifically in the sprint distant races – after successful qualifying race results recently.
“It’s really exciting – we had to do three qualifying races, and it was like a point system and the top people who had the most points got in,” she said.
“My first race was in Yarrawonga in September last year and I got second. I then went to Tasmania and won that one, and then I won the last one in Victoria, which was really good too.”
But the last few years have been a steep learning curve for her, and it’s taken her time to master her craft.
“When I started triathlon, I didn’t really know how to ride a bike, I had to basically learn from scratch,” she said.
“I always knew how to swim and run, but it was the bike that took a while, I’m still learning after two years, but I’m getting better.”
While she prepares for her race – which will include a 750 metre swim, 20 kilometre bike ride and five kilometre run – she provided an insight into the difficulties with what is often perceived as one of the toughest sports on a mental and physical level.
“You have to do everything right – if you miss putting on one shoe in transition you’re out of the race,” she said.
“You just have to keep going, and keep going, and get through the race.
“My race is only an hour so it’s not as long, but it’s also still important to get plenty of fluid and keep hydrated.
“I’m doing lots of training and I’ve just been doing more race specific stuff lately to get back into it all.”
Rebecca’s ambition can take her anywhere, but she wants to remain level headed and keep focusing on improving herself.
“I’m just taking things one step at a time, but it’d be great to see how far I can get to in the sport,” she said.
As she prepares for what will be the biggest race of her career to date, she has plenty of people to thank for their support.
“I’d like to thank my parents for driving me everywhere, my coach Damien, and also my swim coach – I’d also like to thank my sponsors, Trek Springvale, BTR Racewear, Air Relax, Performance and Australian Easy Train.”
