Australian Success

Following AusTriathlon’s establishment down under, Aussie triathletes were successful almost from the start, with Greg Welch picking up the Elite Male World Championships title in 1990 in Florida. Miles Stewart followed this up with a hometown win in 1991 on the Gold Coast. In the female category, Michellie Jones won successive championships in Muskoka, Canada in 1992 and Manchester in 1993. From that year on, Australia’s dominance of the sport at the elite level continued with many Elite, U23 and Junior titles over the years making Australia one of the most successful triathlon nations in ITU World Championships racing.

The continued success of elite and age group athletes at World Championships has been augmented by success at Olympic, Paralympic and Commonwealth Games. Australia has won Olympic medals on five occasions beginning with Michellie Jones who won a silver medal at Sydney 2000. Four years’ later Loretta Harrop won silver in Athens and in 2008 Emma Snowsill became Australia’s first Olympic gold medallist in triathlon with Emma Moffatt also claiming Bronze. At London 2012, Erin Densham continued Australia’s proud Olympic history in triathlon winning a bronze medal.

Triathlon made its debut at the Paralympic Games in 2016 and Australia showed its dominance from the beginning with Katie Kelly winning a gold medal in the Women’s PTVI category. Kelly was guided by Olympic silver medallist Michellie Jones. In Tokyo, Lauren Parker claimed a silver medal in the Women’s PTWC.

Australia has also experienced success at Commonwealth Games beginning in Manchester 2002 with Miles Stewart who won silver and Nicole Hackett who won bronze. At a home Commonwealth Games in Melbourne 2006, Australia collected two gold medals through Brad Kahlefeldt and Emma Snowsill as well as a bronze medal won by Peter Robertson. Triathlon returned to the Commonwealth Games program in Glasgow 2014 where the Australian team took home the Bronze medal in the Team Relay.

At a second home Games in 2018, the Australian team of Gillian Backhouse, Jake Birtwhistle, Ashleigh Gentle and Matt Hauser won gold in the Team Relay and Birtwhistle also won silver in the men’s event. Para-Triathlon made its Commonwealth Games debut on the Gold Coast and Australia collected four-medals through Emily Tapp (silver, PTWC), Lauren Parker (bronze, PTWC), Nic Beveridge (silver, PTWC) and Bill Chaffey (bronze, PTWC).

At the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Australia won bronze In the Team Relay with Hauser backing up to win bronze in the men’s event. Sam Harding won a silver medal in the Men’s PTVI while Jonathan Goerlack won bronze.