Wylie looking to build off her Bathurst triathlon success

Wylie recently picked up her first ever win in a senior Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club short course race, during the final event of the season.

It capped off what's been a summer to remember.

Last year Wylie applied and was accepted into the Western Region Academy of Sport's triathlon program, starting her time there in August.

That training included her first ever time on a road bike, and Wylie's already learned a lot in the saddle since that introduction.

Wylie said making the move to seniors in 2023-24 was an exciting step to take.

"There is so much support at the wallabies and everyone encourages me to keep pushing, including Ange smith and Candice Falconer," she said.

"That's another reason I love triathlon. Everyone is there to support one another.

"Earlier in the year I picked up a third position in the ladies short course category and in the final round I was able to win that category - however, it was a smaller field."

Wylie got into triathlon when she was around 10 years old, first going through joeys (50m swim, 3km bike and 500m run) and boomers (150m swim, 6kms bike and 1.5km run) before stepping up to seniors.

One thing Wylie learned from an early stage in her triathlon experience was that the sport isn't the individual experience that it's made out to be.

"A lot of people think triathlon is an individual sport but it's actually very much a team sport. You just compete individually," she said.

"I have a whole team of people that support me in training and in racing. I have my triathlon coach, Tristan Harrison, my swim coach, my strength and conditioning coach my cycling advisors and most importantly my team mates - that is the other athletes in the triathlon group at WRAS.

"We are a small team but they have taken me under their wings and help and support me a lot.

"At a WRAS triathlon camp in Mudgee late last year I was able to gain some valuable insight into the sport of triathlon from these guys."

Outside of the local Bathurst Wallabies Triathlon Club races Wylie has also competed in the Billigence Series, which included the Triathlon Australia Supersprint Championships.

Wylie said the series has done a lot to develop her confidence in racing.

"It exposed me to lots of new courses in which I have had to adapt to," Wylie said.

"I picked up a sixth position in my category at the combined New South Wales high schools triathlon held at Penrith in February.

"Unfortunately that event changed from a triathlon to a duathlon with the swim excluded due to blue green algae. The swim leg is my strongest leg so I was disappointed that was cut but was still happy with my results.

"Next year I am aiming for a top 10 finish overall and an opportunity to compete nationally."

The strong 2023-24 season and lessons from WRAS have given Wylie even more confidence to reach new heights in triathlon.

Her training regime currently consists of 10-12kms of swimming a week, 30-50kms on the bike and 10-15kms of running.

Wylie wants to use this winter as a chance to better her skills on the pedals and prepare herself for a higher level of competition.

"In the off season I am aiming to continue developing my cycling and move into the draft legal categories of the Billigence series," she said.

"That will see me compete against some of the best under 23 year old triathletes in NSW and the ACT.

"My major goal for triathlon is to compete at the commonwealth games in 2030. With the help of all my coaches and some serious dedication I know I can make it."