Canberra sports shoe salesman Declan Wilson went into today’s Under 23 Triathlon World Championships in London without any expectations and came out with a deserved bronze medal.
It capped a great day for the Australian Triathlon team that finished with one gold to Wollongong’s Charlotte McShane in the women’s Under 23s; bronze to Wilson as well as another five Top 10s and four Top 20 finishes from the other 14 Juniors and Under 23s.
 Image courtesy of Keith Hedgeland
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McShane had provided the golden moment of the day for the “Green and Gold Scody Squad” when she became the fifth Australian girl behind Nikki Egyed, Annabelle Luxford, Erin Densham and Emma Jackson to win the coveted Under 23 world crown.
The Scottish born red-head produced an electrifying sprint finish to share it “with her family” – her three fellow Wollongong Wizard training partners Tamsyn Moana-Veale who was an eye-catching eighth; rookie Grace Musgrove 12th and the ever-present Natalie Van Coevorden 14th.
And it gave the Under 23 boys something to aim for when they dived into the Serpentine chasing those elusive World Championship medals.
The National Talent Academy’s Wilson and team mate Ryan Fisher (who finished 8th), were right in the mix all day as a 20-strong bike peloton surged around Hyde Park, jostling for positions before the telling 10km run.
| Image courtesy of Keith Hedgeland |
In only the third Olympic distance triathlon of his career, 20-year-old Wilson, “played it safe” on the bike before unleashing his trump card on the run to set himself up for a shot at a medal as the field eventually wore itself down to a race in three.
Noted Frenchman Pierre Le Corre – fourth last year to Aaron Royle in Auckland – claimed the Under 23 gold with a spirited final sprint from Spain’s Fernando Alarza in a frantic finish.
But Wilson, who started training with wily Australian international coach Darren Smith last March, was “over the moon” with his result.
“I didn’t have any pressure on me going in; I don’t really stress about too many things; I try and roll with it most of the time and I think it works,” said Wilson, who spent much of 2012 swimming double sessions because of injury.
“Last year wasn’t the best injury wise but injuries can be blessings in disguise sometimes and you come out of them and you improve and come out the other side.
“Darren and I worked on the little bits; that’s all he does; it pays off….paying attention to the little things.”
Smith also told his young charge to ignore what people might say.
“He (Smith) told me some people might say I could get a medal but I never tried to focus on that. It was all just about the experience…that’s all it is and building into the next (few) years,” Wilson said.
“It’s been a dream year really, winning the Continental Cup Mooloolaba and the World Cup in Holten and now this…I didn’t expect any of it….I’m just over the moon.
“I was never going to be disappointed with the outcome….I’m more than happy with third.”
Wilson admitted he was happy to “play the game” on the bike.
“I just sat in and I knew I had to do that, it was only my third Olympic distance triathlon,” said Wilson.
“I didn’t think I’d have the strength in the legs and it definitely showed over the last kilometre; I definitely didn’t have anything (left).”
Wilson has put much of his success down to joining Smith’s “Olympic squad” including Olympic silver medallist and world champion Lisa Norden (SWE) and last year’s Grand Final winner Anne Haug (GER) and going overseas with the group for their Olympic build up.
He said it was a massive bonus after seeing the Olympic process and seeing how Smith squad built up for London 2012.
“It put me in a good place for these World Championships - no where near the same magnitude of course but I knew what to expect,” said Wilson.
AUSTRALIAN PLACINGS ITU WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS, Juniors and Under 23s, London:
Juniors:
Women
4th Jaz Hedgeland
8th Holly Grice
23rd Sophie Maloweicki
24th Jodie Duff
Men:
6th Jacob Birtwhistle
13th Joel Tobin-White
30th Luke Willian
Under 23s
Women:
1st Charlotte McShane
8th Tamsyn Moana-Veale
12th Grace Musgrove
14th Natalie van Coevorden
Men
3rd Declan Wilson
8th Ryan Fisher
16th Matt Brown
UNDER 23 ITU WORLD CHAMPIONS
YEAR HOST MEN WOMEN
2013 London, ENG Pierre Le Corre (FRA) Charlotte McShane (AUS)
2012 Auckland, NZL Aaron Royle (AUS) Non Stanford (GBR)
2011 Beijing, CHN Matthew Sharp (GBR) Agnieszka Jerzyk (POL)
2010 Budapest, HUN Jonathan Brownlee (GBR) Emma Jackson (AUS)
2009 Gold Coast, AUS Franz Loeschke (GER) Hollie Avil (GBR)
2008 Vancouver, CAN Alistair Brownlee (GBR) Daniela Ryf (SUI)
2007 Hamburg, GER Gregor Buchholz (GER) Lisa Norden (SWE)
2006 Lausanne, SUI Will Clarke (GBR) Erin Densham (AUS)
2005 Gamagori, JPN Jarrod Shoemaker (USA) Andrea Hewitt (NZL)
2004 Madeira, POR Sebastian Dehmer (GER) Annabel Luxford (AUS)
2003 Queenstown, NZL Javier Gomez (ESP) Nikki Egyed (AUS)
2002 Cancun, MEX Brad Kahlefeldt (AUS) Pilar Hidalgo (ESP)
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