Pro aims for world champs qualification
Hedland triathlete Nathan Groch has raced into the global spotlight as a Pilbara-hardened iron man, finishing the IRONMAN 70.3 Japan.
The professional triathlete placed fourth out of 1380 competitors in a time of 4hr 7min. 27sec. for the 1.3km swimming, 90km cycling and 21.1km running course in Centrair Chita peninsula, Japan on June 17.
As a BHP material and logistic officer for track maintenance, Groch said he was working full-time and putting in the hours to push his hobby all the way to the world championships.
“I only started racing a couple of years ago when I moved to Port Hedland and raced as an amateur — (now) I’d like to qualify to race the world championships as a professional,” he said.
“This year as of August you have to essentially win a race and qualify.
“There’s a lot of races around the world, the winner of each race gets an automatic entry.”
Groch, who has won the Karratha City to Surf twice in a row and finished second last year said living in the Pilbara and competing in international events did not always go hand in hand.
“Being from Port Hedland, it’s hard to determine where you are at because you can’t train with and against many other people,” he said.
“You are the only person who controls yourself moving forward, for the race and the training leading up to it.”
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