It’s been three years since she competed at a World Triathlon Championships, but Bendigo’s Sophie Hawken isn’t too worried about making her comeback at this year’s event in Auckland.
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A four-time world championships silver-medallist as a pro racer, Hawken will compete as an amateur this year as she continues her incredible return to racing since giving birth to her two-year-old son, Lucius.
The super-fit 30-year-old, who runs high-intensity personal training business 3T Fitness with her partner Kim Stevens, believes she is faster now than when she was as a professional athlete after tha she training with her clients.
Her recent results are proof of that.
In 2011 she won three gold medals at the Arafura Games in Darwin and the women’s open title in the Keith Huddle Memorial Eaglehawk to Bendigo road race.
Hawken followed up by winning the Echuca Triathlon in January, the Bridgewater Triathlon and Maryborough Reverse Triathlon – where she set a new course record – in February.
“I just won every local race around here and overall timing compared to all the other qualifier races – I had the fastest times.
“So (the national) selectors did me a favour and put me in, because I didn’t go to all the selection races around the country,” Hawken said.
“With the business I train every session, about two hours a day, so about 15 hours a week. I just do a couple of extra sessions tri-specific.
“I haven’t done any cycling and my cycling was amazing each race from doing box jumps.”
While Hawken has “been out of the game” for three years, she has her sights on a podium finish.
“I’ve been to four world champs. I’ve got silver every time. I just want a podium.
“I haven’t done any research (on my competitors), I just always go in there and just train myself the best I can, because there’s no point looking at the others.
“I haven’t been back in the game for a while, the last world champs I went to was 2009 – it’s a long-time since I raced hard.”
Hawken’s medal bid has been sponsored by Accounting and Audit Solutions Bendigo, also sponsors of ironman triathlete Leon Griffin, which has pitched-in to help her costs to get to the world championships.
“Whenever we get an opportunity we jump on board with someone we know, a good quality person like Soph,” AASB partner Tim Tuena said.
“We want to support a local athlete.”
The World Triathlon Championships will be held in Auckland in October.
