Double Gold Glory for Travis Shields in Wollongong
Travis Shields took the opportunity of a home soil Triathlon Age Group World Championships to race in the green and gold in not just one, but two events and claiming two Age Group World Championship titles in both the Sprint and Standard Distance triathlons, in an unforgettable few days of racing.
His secret? A bold shift in preparation. “With my coach Tim Reed from RPG, we identified that I needed to work on my endurance at the back end of races,” Travis explains. “So we stripped back the winter racing and focused on a big block of training for Western Sydney 70.3. That endurance helped me not just win the Olympic distance, but also back it up for the sprint the next day- something I’d never done before!”
When we asked about the highlights, Travis shared the medals were only part of the story. “Having all my family and friends there to share it was the real highlight. Our family’s had a rough trot the last few years, so to see everyone so excited, especially my Balance Tri Club mates, meant the world.”
As for his pre-race rituals? “I smash coffee. And I’ve been forcing down rice in the mornings, it’s disgusting, but it works.”
When we asked for a three-word race summary? Nerves. Relief. Fun.
Reflecting on the weekend, Travis shared “It was a dream couple of days that went above my goals for the events, so I couldn’t be happier.”
💚💛
