Under the radiant tropical sun, with calm waters and clear skies, Cairns set the perfect stage for an extraordinary display of endurance and determination. Our Thrive Endurance athletes embraced the favorable conditions and delivered remarkable performances in both the Cairns Ironman and Cairns 70.3 events.
In the Ironman, we had five members toeing the start line, each with their own unique journey to get there. Bryce Leigh was the first home, returning to the Ironman after five years. Bryce set himself the goal of a sub-10-hour finish, and his dedication and consistent training over the last 12 months paid off. Not only did he achieve his goal, but he also broke a personal best set over ten years ago.
Paul Arnold was the second over the line, delivering a remarkable result after a challenging few months. His strength and determination over the past year culminated in another personal best, following his impressive performance in Busselton earlier this year.
Luke Barlow toed the start line for the second time, after completing his first Ironman here in 2023 with his wife, Kate. Last year, Team Barlow faced disappointment with a DNF from Kate, but this year, their celebrations were in full swing as both Luke and Kate successfully crossed the finish line, sharing the incredible achievement together.
Kate Dugher, the team’s Ironman rookie, took to the start line for the first time. Despite a busy work schedule and carrying an injury in the last months of her preparation, Kate exceeded all expectations. She not only completed the race but thrived all the way to the finish, missing her marathon PB by just two minutes.
Lastly, Zoltan Kovacs faced a tough challenge as he picked up a virus during race week. Despite hoping for a miracle, Zoltan showed remarkable courage by starting the race. After completing the swim and bike, he made the smart decision to step off the course to prioritize his health.
In the 70.3, we had six athletes, making an extraordinary total of eleven athletes towing the start line for the day. Marcus Brown continues to progress in his comeback after a major injury setback 18 months ago. Blake Taverna quietly chips away, continually improving year after year. Christo Jacobie crossed the finish line after five years away from Cairns 70.3, as he begins his build towards the Townsville Multisport World Championships. Aaron Burgess returned to Cairns 70.3 for the second year, applying lessons learned from 2023. Margaret Hoff, in her home event in Cairns, took the first step in her journey to regain her former consistent self after her previous season. Lastly, Natalie Roberts, our newest Thrive member, tackled Cairns 70.3 with zero training for charity. It was an amazing result just to get to the finish line, and we can't wait to see what Natalie can achieve going forward.
Congratulations also go out to Simon Mason for taking on his fifth Surf Coast Half Marathon back in Victoria. An amazing effort, continuing to thrive year after year.
We could not be more proud of the team as they displayed what it truly means to thrive. Here’s a recap of how our team fared.
Comments