BATHURST triathlete Terry Roberts has been afforded the rare honour of being inducted into the Ironman Australia Legends Club.
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For most mere mortals the thought of making it into that exclusive line-up is just a dream.
To qualify you have to finish 10 Ironman Australia triathlons – a tall order considering each event includes a 3.8 kilometre swim, 180km bicycle leg and 42.2km marathon run.
Ironman competitions are part of Roberts’ lifestyle and his most recent conquest at Ironman Australia in May was the 20th time he has completed an ultra distance race of this type.
He received a much-anticipated letter confirming his official legendary status from the executive race director of the World Triathlon Corporation Ken Baggs OAM earlier this month.
“To be a member of the Legends Club you must have completed 10 Ironman Australia triathlon races,” Baggs wrote. “Each member is then allocated a permanent race number (259) for life irrespective of continuity of racing.”
Roberts, 49, said yesterday racing Ironman as a member of the John Maclean Foundation (JMF) team is one of the main motivating factors that continues to drive him in a sport which is considered by many as the toughest one-day endurance event on the planet.
“John is a disabled athlete whose foundation raises funds for kids in wheelchairs,” he said. “As a member of the King Cain Bathurst Wallabies Tri Club we have been able to lend our support to JMF by racing Ironman in its colours.
“I first competed for JMF at the World Championships in Hawaii in 2008 and it was a fantastic experience. Since then other members of the Wallabies have also dedicated their Ironman experience to this great cause.”
Roberts, who is supported by his wife Anna and teenage daughters Alex and Zoe, said triathlon brings with it a great lifestyle and major health benefits.
“Our sport is booming, with phenomenal growth in recent years,” he said. “Every race throws a different challenge at you. You can never take Ironman
for granted. I consider it to be the ultimate one-day challenge.
“The fact a ‘Joe Average’ like me can do it shows that any ordinary person with desire, determination and mental toughness can do it too.
“And the fact you’re racing as part of the John Maclean family makes it even more worthwhile.”