2025 Australian Sprint Championships Race Report
“You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice.” — Bob Marley
We flew into the Gold Coast on Saturday around lunchtime—my first time flying in so last minute for a race. I tried to stay calm, but things didn’t exactly go to plan. Time vanished quicker than expected, and I ended up more stressed than I wanted to be. To top it off, I got a flat tire during my shakeout ride. But despite the chaos, I’m incredibly grateful for the support from my family—they helped me tick off everything I needed to do before race day.
Thanks to the daylight savings change, I got to sleep in a bit and woke up at my usual squad time, which was a blessing after a frantic day. Race morning itself was smooth, and before I knew it, I was standing on the beach, nerves kicking in as I waited for the starting horn.
Swim Leg
The race began with a mass swim start, which I usually enjoy. Unfortunately, I made a tactical mistake early. I spotted some of the faster swimmers and tried to latch onto their feet right from the start. Big mistake. I got caught in a chaotic mess—people climbing over me, getting hit stroke after stroke. I tried to stay calm, but I was being repeatedly dunked and shoved, and eventually, I hit a point where panic crept in. My heart rate skyrocketed, and I found myself treading water just to regroup.
Watching the pack pull away was tough, but I forced myself to keep going. My focus shifted to simply breathing and regaining control. Slowly but surely, I started catching people. About two-thirds through, I found someone holding a decent pace and decided to sit on their feet to get through the traffic. It made the swim more interesting and helped me to stay focused. Swim time: 13:31.
Transition 1
Coming out of the water, the transition was tough—running while your heart’s still pounding from the swim never feels easy. But I found my bike quickly, got the helmet on, and off I went. T1 time: 1:45.
Bike Leg
I was still fiddling with my shoes when a couple of riders flew past. I hesitated—do I chase without properly getting my shoes sorted, or take a moment to get set up? I chose to sort the shoes, and by the time I was up to speed (hitting 50 km/h for stretches), the gap was too big to close. So I settled into my own rhythm.
I didn’t know where I sat in the race, but I was determined to ride strong. Each lap I pushed, holding consistent speed. I wasn’t passed by anyone, and I actually managed to keep the same 30-second gap to the guy who had flown by earlier. The last lap started to hurt, but I knew I was still in the fight.
As I neared transition, I was grateful for not having any mechanical on the bike. The bike split was 29:51.
Transition 2
T2 was clean. Bike racked, helmet off, shoes on, and out I went. T2 time: 58seconds.
Run Leg
In a sprint, there’s no easing into the run—you’ve got to go all in from step one. It was brutal, but I found a good rhythm and locked into it.
On the long straights, I felt smooth. At the first U-turn, I caught sight of someone in my age group ahead by about 40 seconds. That gave me something to focus on other than my own discomfort. I stayed patient but purposeful. Not long into the second lap, I spotted a cluster of guys ahead—looked like the front of the race. Just as I passed my family for the final time, I hit the lead with around 2K to go.
Now I had a decision: hold pace and protect the lead, or go all-in. I chose to press. It was painful—my legs were heavy and my breathing ragged—but I committed to the effort. That final kilometer felt like forever, but I didn’t back off. I pushed through the line, appreciative to take the win and earn my spot at the World Championships in Wollongong. Run split: 16:45
Learnings
Swim positioning is important. I’m not the fastest swimmer, so I need to give myself space to find rhythm rather than jumping straight into the chaos. I tried to make the swim too easy, but in a sprint, it’s better to embrace the madness early. If I’d gone out hard for the first 100m, then settled onto feet, I might’ve avoided the worst of the washing machine.
Trust your ability. I’m more capable than I sometimes believe. This race showed me that testing yourself—leaning into discomfort—can reveal surprising strength. Despite being the oldest I’ve ever been in a race, I managed one of my best run splits off the bike. That’s a testament to consistency, hard work, and not backing off when it gets tough.
All in all, racing is a great opportunity to grow. There’s a lot to take away with how you react in pressure situations, and training never quite replicates the same intensity of racing.
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Copyright © Luke Jones
