Hendy ‘racing for titles’

HE stepped out of the massive shadow cast by his famous father with a breakthrough win last year and TJ Hendy is now ready to write his own chapter in ironman history.

Hendy will line up at Queenscliff this weekend for the opening round of the Nutri-Grain ironman series with a wonderful sense of deja vu after breaking through for his maiden series win at the Sydney beach last summer.

The Surfers Paradise ironman eventually finished eighth overall in the series last year but his breakout summer and off-season progression have him shaping as a bolter for the title.

“I don’t want to be just a number in the sport, I want to win races,” Hendy said.

“That’s where my heart lies – being No.1 at the end of a series. Whether it’s this year that I get to do that, or in 10 years’ time, or if I never get to do that, that’s my goal from now on.

“I don’t want to race the series unless I’m trying to win it.”

Hendy was forced to pull out of the Coolangatta Gold less than a fortnight ago with severe cramping and hypothermia.

But he is ready to race tomorrow to earn his place in Saturday’s final.

After finishing outside the top six, Hendy does not have automatic passage to the Nutri-Grain final each round.

Now 23, Hendy did not take up the sport seriously until he was in his late teens.

But his off-season improvement has him excited at the challenges ahead.

“You look at my incline, the way I’ve been going up and it’s been a lot faster than a lot of the other athletes around my age,” he said.

“I started a lot later than those guys and I feel like I’m still on that (path).

“I’ve been setting PBs (personal bests) in the pool and running and ski and board paddling and doing things way better than I did them last year.”

And it’s that tangible evidence that has Hendy excited for the season ahead.

“To get that feeling of breakthroughs during the offseason is really nice. That might not mean that I get it during the season and whether the ocean’s on my side for the rest of the summer doesn’t really matter.

“It’s just been nice to have the process be fun.”