From teenagers to seasoned veterans, triathlon is a sport that embraces competitors of all ages – a spirit that will be on full display at the 2025 World Championships in Wollongong this October
Looking to compete in the 70 – 74 category is Linda Meredith, a triathlete from Queensland with a background in horse riding.
“I think it’s been around 14 or 15 years now that I’ve been involved with the sport,” Meredith said.
“I was an endurance horse rider and we sold our farm and moved to Cleveland, and there was a local triathlon as I was driving to the shops there were ads for road closures for Raby Bay Triathlon.
“I thought I needed something to do, and I could ride a bike, I could run and I can try to swim so I did my first triathlon in Caloundra.
“In 2012, I was set to do a couple of the qualifying races for the Standard Distance in Auckland, but despite having all my uniforms ready, I had to miss out due to an injury.
“But I was back for the next one in Rotterdam, and I ended up coming fourth, and then the next one on the Gold Coast I got fifth.”
In 2022, Linda claimed the World Triathlon Age Group Super Sprint Triathlon World Championships in Abu Dhabi, a proud moment in her competitive journey.
“I decided to go to Abu Dhabi, I used to go there with my horses and worked there years ago so I wanted to go back,” she said.
“I competed in both the Sprint and Standard Distance, and was World Champion for the Sprint and second in the Standard Distance which I was so proud of.
“The heat was pretty much the same as what I was training in Queensland so it was easy to adjust.
“It’s such a proud moment to put on that green and gold, and the Parade of Nations – we’re all waving our Aussie flags and it’s just a proud moment to be Australian.
“Even more so later this year, being on home soil – the Aussie crowds are going to be larger and louder in Wollongong, as they were on the Gold Coast.
“You’ve got everybody cheering for you, it’s so exciting wearing that green and gold – that feeling of running through the finish line with the green and gold is just amazing, and being handed the Aussie flag running down the blue carpet is so special.
“I am excited that there are now so many inspiring women in their 60s and 70s staying in the sport and coming into the sport – it just proves that age is no barrier, and we can still go out there and push our limits.
“For anyone wanting to get started, I would say just go for it – the feeling of competing and having team mates and other Australians there cheering for you, it gives you the boost and passion to continue and cross that finish line – there’s not a feeling like it.”
If you are interested in finding your unstoppable, the 2025 Australian Age Group Triathlon Team Expression of Interest Applications will close at 5pm AEST on Monday the 28th of April 2025, click here to find out more.
The Preliminary 2025 Australian Age Group Triathlon Team will be announced on the AusTriathlon website by 5pm AEST on Monday the 26th of May 2025.
