Cornwall snares NZ schools triathlon glory at champs
Manawatū triathlete Hayley Cornwall won the premier under-19 girls title at the New Zealand schools triathlon championships at Mount Maunganui.
The Palmerston North Girls’ High School athlete has won lower age-group titles at the schools championships twice previously, but withdrew from last year’s senior race at Wānaka with stomach pain.
That made her more determined to win in Mount Maunganui on Thursday, finishing in 1 hour 6 minutes 7 seconds.
“Wānaka wasn’t the best so I wanted … kind of like redemption, so it made me more hungry I guess,” she said. “It’s my last year so it’s like, I want to take it out one more time.”
Cornwall is coached by Triathlon New Zealand’s women and girls lead, Tamara Reed, who was based in Manawatū but has moved to New Plymouth.
Cornwall was hopeful of selection for the New Zealand team to go to the world junior championships in Malaga, Spain in October, and she did all she could to impress the selectors in the win.
Sophie Webber of Woodford House in Hawke’s Bay was second in 1hr 6min 34sec, with Charlotte Chiles of Rangi Ruru Girls’ School (Christchurch) securing the bronze medal in 1hr 7min 51sec.
“In our warm-up [swim], it was pretty bumpy so I was like, I’ll try and catch a wave but as soon as we started racing it was pretty flat,” Cornwall said.
“I had quite a bad start, dived in … it was too shallow but that was OK. I swam with two other girls and we came out and then we worked together on the bike.
“I wanted to get out on the run first, get in a good mindset, I guess. So, then I just took it hard from the front as soon as the run started,” she said. “I had my watch, I was looking at the splits and I was like, I’ve just got to keep consistent.”
The win follows a bronze medal at the Oceania under-19 championship at last month’s World Triathlon Cup weekend in Napier
Girls’ High’s Lucy McLean was fourth at Mount Maunganui.
Maggie Lintott of Halcombe School won the under-13 girls competition.
Huntley School’s Hugo Skerman won the under-13 boys grade, with Jai Parris of Palmerston North Boys’ High School second. It was an all-Huntley podium in the under-12 boys event, with Samuel Treeby first, Austin Lean second and Cruz Webb third.