Newcastle’s Lorcan Redmond wasn’t going to “die wondering” in today’s ITU Junior Men’s Triathlon World Championship on the Gold Coast, bravely hanging on to fifth place in an encouraging performance at his second world titles.
 
In a helter skelter race from the start Lorcan showed just how brave he is, after surviving a brutal swim and working with the lead group on the bike. 
 
 It was the tough-as teak boy from Newcastle with another Novocastrian in London Olympian Brendan Sexton in his corner, who challenged for the lead in the first half of the run and dug deep to hold on to his top six finish.
 
“Sometimes you’ve just got to take it with both hands and go for it and it didn’t pay off in the end there, I blew to pieces but I’m glad I did it that way, I wouldn’t want to be sitting there and letting someone else control the race,” Redmond said, with his coaches and family cheering him on.
 
“It was great fun out there…great spectators, family and friends in the grandstand, it was phenomenal.
 
“When I pulled on this suit, our National Performance Manager, Justin Drew was saying we are one team, and we are here to represent our country and do everyone proud.
 
“That’s why you don’t give up till the finish line; you are not doing it just for yourself, you are doing it for all the names on the suit, all the past world champions and the spectators.”
 
Redmond said it was the most brutal swim he has ever been in.
 
“There was dunking, kicking and scratching I had my suit pulled down but it’s alright, it’s all good and it was pretty chaotic on the bike but I had to take control of it and do what you can.
 
“So I thought I’ll just take control and see what happens…I wouldn’t want to race any other way…I just didn’t have the legs there in the end.”
                                            
Other results were: Jayden Schofield (12th), Luke Bate (34th), Oscar Dart (35th) and Luke Schofield (44th).
 
In the junior women’s race it was Sunshine Coaster Romy Wolstencroft who ran like the wind to claim a fast finishing fifth place on debut in the Australian team.
 
It was certainly an eye-catching 5km run by the 19-year-old who rode her way back into the race after she was “drowned” in the swim.
 
‘I was pretty stoked with how I went out there in my debut for the Australian team – it’s been a great week with no pressure on getting results, just getting in and doing your best,” said Wolstencroft.
 
Milan Agnew was the next best of the Australians in 18th, followed by Emily Jamgotchian (25th), Charlotte Derbyshire (33rd) and Sam Whitting (45th).