A trainee nurse and a former karate champion led home Australia’s Standard Distance Age Group Team to an impressive medal haul at the ITU World Triathlon Championships on the Gold Coast today.
 
Newcastle’s Chloe Hartnett, training to be a nurse at Sydney’s Avondale College, surprised even herself when she crossed the line today to sounds of “new world champion” in the 20-24 years age group.
 
While Brisbane teen Daniel Paddison, who twice represented Queensland Schools in Karate, was the first male home in the 18-19 years division in an Australian quinella, with team mate Keegan Jenkins winning silver and Mitchell Platt (USA) third.
 
Twenty-year-old Hartnett, who also works as a learn to swim teacher, had set her goals for a top ten finish and maybe top three Australian in the Standard Distance event – 1.5km swim, 40km bike and 10km run.
 
But after hammering through the 40km bike leg and holding on in the 10km run, she left nothing out on the course to win her 20-24 age group gold medal from Great Britain’s Victoria Kenny with fellow Australian Isobel Chisholm taking the bronze and Grace Hoitink fifth and Rachel Knellwolf 10th.
 
“Crossing the line first was a real surprise...I only really took up triathlon for the enjoyment of training and not so much to win races...so to win today is not something I was expecting,” said Hartnett, who is coached by leading professional Ironman triathlete and coach Levi Maxwell via correspondence from Melbourne.
 
My goal in the swim was to stay up with the front bunch and I felt comfortable through transition and wanted to put together a strong bike with my weakest leg, the run, to follow.
 
“I had to make sure I did whatever I could on the bike – and I was out alone not realising I actually passed five of the girls in my age group on the way round and I felt good on the run and encouraged by so many people out on the course,” said Hartnett.
 
Harnett spends a lot of her time on the wind trainer and listening to Spotify in between her swim sessions at Olympian Peter Coughlan’s Swim Centre at Warners Bay where she also works in the learn-to-swim business and her nursing a Sydney’s Avondale College.
 
In his last year of High School in Brisbane, Paddison, gave away a promising career in karate, when introduced to triathlon by one of his teachers.
 
“I only took up triathlon four years ago and I loved it…I'm now hooked,” said Paddison, who stormed home with an eye-catching 32 mins 32 secs 10km run.
 
Meanwhile Brisbane’s Greg Bush (65-69 years) continued to show why he is one of Australia’s most celebrated triathletes, adding today’s Standard Triathlon world title to his Sprint Distance gold medal he collected on Thursday.
 
The Australians continued to dominate the age group with Brian Kennelly winning silver and former Freshwater surf lifesaving champion Rob Pickard keeping on keeping on to take bronze.
 
He was joined as a dual world champion by Victoria’s Jeremy Critchett who won the Standard-Sprint double in the 50-54 years age group, with Critchett leading home another Australian trifecta with Tim Lang winning silver and Barry Bodsworth bonze.

Australian Age Group Standard Distance Results

Gold 
Daniel Paddison 18-19 Male
Chloe Hartnett         20-24 Female
Scott Ashcroft         40-44 Male
Rosie McGeoch 40-44 Female
Jeremy Critchett 50-54 Male
Phil Davies         60-64 Male
Greg Bush         65-69 Male

Silver
Keegan Jenkins 18-19 Male
Casey Atkins         18-19 Female
Hamish Longmuir 20-24 Male
Kate Schultz         35-39 Female
Suzanne Blackborrow 40-44 Female
Charles Ellis         45-49 Male
Allison Cooke         45-49 Female
Tim Lang                 50-54 Male
Sarah Clark         50-54 Female
Brian Elvery         60-64 Male
Brian Kennelly         65-69 Male
Raymond Hunt 75-79 Male

Bronze
Isobel Chisholm 20-24 Female
Troy Ruston         25-29 Male
Jarron Cole         30-34 Male
Kate Bramley         30-34 Female
James Dimsey 35-39 Male
Peter Loveridge 40-44 Male
Jane Cole         50-54 Female
Barry Bodsworth 55-59 Male
Janet Ferguson 55-59 Female
Neale Pugh         60-64 Male
Robert Pickard 65-69 Male