ATHLETES FIND WAYS TO ADAPT

ALEX HUNT

ISOLATION has reignited Tasmanian multisport king Alex Hunt’s love for his pursuit.

The 29-year-old five-time Freycinet Challenge champion said his motivation for multisports had dipped slightly in recent times, but being denied competition had rekindled his love affair.

“I’ve realised I do want to keep racing,” Hunt said.

“Last year I had a pretty quiet year. I bought a house and was working on that flat out, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to keep racing.

“My training last year was pretty poor, to be fair. At the start of this year I thought I would have a crack, and now I want to keep racing, but it is just being able to now.”

Hunt has been denied running through national parks due to coronavirus restrictions, but is still clocking 80-100km a week on the legs and trying to get out on the Derwent for a paddle.

However, with all competitions for the next eight months cancelled, motivation has been a bit of a struggle.

“It is fine to get out and do stuff, but to actually put in the effort is really difficult when you don’t have an end date or goal in mind,” the design engineer staid.

“Instead of training two times a day I’m just trying to stay fit at the moment.

“I get out once a day and do something, but with no real intention of working towards a particular goal.

“That is the hardest thing, transitioning from something to focus on to actually not having that focus.”

But there is one carrot at the end of the COVID-19 crisis for Hunt — New Zealand’s Coast to Coast.

The event known as “The Longest Day” doubles up as the World Multisport Championship, and is a 243km course that has athletes running, cycling and paddling across the South Island from west to east.

Hunt has a second and two thirds to his name, and wants one more serious crack at victory in the event that can take around 11 hours to complete.

“I’d like to finish that one off, but it is a pretty big commitment,” he said.

“You need to commit three months of your life to it and train for it.

“That is my big objective, and whether that is 2021 or 2022 now I’m not 100 per cent sure.

“But I’ve definitely got one more big effort left in me.”

MATTHEW WADE

TASMANIA’S reborn national cricketer Matthew Wade hasn’t touched a bat in months.

He is spending the time at home with his wife Julia and daughters Winter and Goldie, but his training program is being halted as he goes under the surgeon’s knife to have his knee cleaned up.

While he had been keeping fit in his home gym, picking up the bat had not been a priority.

“It has been nice to have a break from batting,” Wade said, after a whirlwind 12 months in which he forced his way back into Australia’s Test, one-day and Twenty20 squads.

“But it won’t be too far away. I’ll get down the nets with Vaughany (Tigers batting coach Jeff Vaughan) and get back into it soon.”

While enjoying his extra time with family, trying to keep fit with a preschooler and a baby can be hard work at times.

Wade will be out of action for six to eight weeks after his operation, but will not miss any cricket for Australia or Tasmania.

KAITY FASSINA

HOBART sports science teacher Kaity Fassina is the No.1 women’s weightlifter in Oceania in the 87kg class.

The 27-year-old’s final Olympic qualification event was cancelled due to the virus shutdown, and her gym is also off limits. She is now working out at home with her coach watching online for selection sessions.

“I’m following a program designed specifically for weightlifting,” Fassina said.

“We have no idea when our final qualifying event will be.

“There has been some rumours they might scrap the last qualifying round and take the points we’ve already attained, which would work really well for me.

“The postponement of the Olympics for a year means there is a chance we might have to compete again, which is really hard because we don’t know when that might be.

“There’s a really grey area about what’s happening at the moment.”

GEORGIA NESBITT

OLYMPIC hopeful Georgia Nesbitt missed the hotel lockdown by just one day.

Rushing back to her Hobart home from the national rowing centre in Penrith, Nesbitt arrived back on the Friday, with those landing in Tasmania the following day having to spend a fortnight isolated in a hotel.

Instead, she spent her isolation at home, and has got busy keeping herself fit and strong by using her imagination.

She has set up her own gym with a chin-up bar between trees and weights in her garden, as well as jumping on the bike and hitting the pavement.

“I have got creative,” the 27-year-old said.

“It is definitely a change in pace to the way I operate in the national training centre.

“It has been quite nice to do things in my own time, and also because we are normally on such a tight and strict schedule, there is not generally much time for riding your bike or running. I’m definitely enjoying doing both of those things.”

But now training is starting to ramp up, which means more time on the rowing machine.

“We are doing some of our ergo sessions on Zoom, so we’ve got to do two 30minute sessions at 8am and dial in to do them together,” she said.

“It is not fun.” Nesbitt is chasing her first Olympics and aiming for a seat in the lightweight double boat, but she is keeping it all in perspective ahead of a crack at qualifications next year.

“I’ve always been quite adamant you never know what the outcomes are going to be, so you have to ensure you enjoy it along the way,” Nesbitt said.

“If you get to go to the Olympics that’s awesome, but it doesn’t work out for everyone.”