AN IRON WILL TO GO THE DISTANCE
FIVE years ago, Geelong’s Dirk Heitmann couldn’t swim 25 metres.
But in four weeks he will be representing Australia in the World Triathlon Series in Switzerland.
Being a “large child” by his own admission, the 45-yearold steered clear of the water in his younger years but has now fallen in love with the challenge the ocean represents.
His turnaround is nothing short of stunning.
“I’m not a swimmer. When I started my ironman training five years ago — the ironman swim is 3.8km — I could not swim 25 metres. Literally,” he said.
“My wife said to me that you can’t sign up until you get swim lessons and before you start training make sure you can at least swim some sort of distance.
“It was really something that I never thought I could do. I was quite a large child in high school and through uni, so I’ve lost a fair bit of weight.
“This is just something I’ve picked up on that’s not easy, it’s challenging and that just drives me.”
The Geelong West local qualified in the top 20 Australian triathletes for his age bracket to receive an invitation to the event.
Being a father of two daughters, aged 12 and 14, Heitmann uses the motivation of being an active father and role model to his advantage.
“I thought I need to get myself fit so I can make sure I can look after them and play with them and do all that sort of stuff,” he said.
“This was just one way to use that as motivation and get out and do these things.
“I did it the wrong way around. I did my first triathlon in 2014, five years ago — a full ironman distance rather than a short one first and building up.
“I started because it was a challenge and something that sounded pretty ridiculous.”
Heitmann’s quest to wear the green and gold took him across the country, competing in Canberra, Tasmania and South Australia to earn the nod.
The Geelong Performance Coaching squad member is thankful for the generous physical and financial support he has received from many local businesses who have backed his journey.
He said the prospect of pulling on the Australian outfit was overwhelming.
“Just the lure of wearing the green and gold — there’s probably no other sport I’d be able to do that in,” he said.
“I’m beside myself. Just to have a green and gold kit with my name on it.
“That just drove me all summer to make sure I train, get to the events and get my placings so I could get the qualification points.
“I was a bit of a stress-head before the team was released, just making sure I had enough points to make the team.”