Coleman launches title bid with Robina race
TRAVIS Coleman will begin his quest to become a world champion when he starts his season in Round 2 of the Queensland Triathlon Series at Robina this Sunday.
Coleman finished sixth in the 20-24 age group at the 2017 World Triathlon Champion- ships in Rotterdam last month – a year after placing 23rd. It was a breakout performance for the Banora Point resident.
The 2018 world championships will be held on the Gold Coast and Coleman said another year of progress and the advantages of competing in his home region will put him in the frame to win a title.
“I’m quite confident I’ll finish on the podium and a win is in sight,” Coleman said.
“It will be so much easier racing on the Gold Coast.
“I won’t have to go searching around all day to find the right kind of food to keep me going – I can just relax. It will be the perfect lead up.”
To get to the 2018 event Coleman will need to qualify and that’s exactly why he made the last-minute decision to race at Robina this weekend in the Olympic distance format, consisting of a 1500m swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run.
The race will give Coleman ample time to practice on the course that will be used for Round 5 of the Queensland Triathlon Series on January 14, an event that doubles as a world championship qualifier.
“This will be my first race since the world championships,” he said.
I wasn’t sure if I’d be recovered in time but I had a good two-week break and I’m keen to race.”