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Media Release: Juniors Dominate Wests Macarthur Duathlon Championship

MacTri Juniors has long been a successful breeding ground for the stars of tomorrow but more often than not they’ve been frustrated in the local championship events by athletes 10, 15, 20 years their senior. 2019 however was to see the day that the juniors came of age with both the male and female Macarthur Duathlon Champions aged in their teens!

2019 Wests Macarthur Duathlon Champions Cody Salter & Madelyn Manny

© Kristy Persen | Macarthur Triathlon Media

Madelyn Manny was the clear winner in the women’s Macarthur Duathlon Champion. The 16-year-old has been a triathlete for most of her life, joining the club as a youngster and rising through the ranks of the high-performance programmes. Fast and motivated, Manny was never threatened throughout the 2km run/20km bike/4km run event. In winning she became the youngest winner in the event’s history! Second place was claimed by fellow MacTri Junior Aleesha Austin, just 17, whilst Jessica Monagle, an athlete best known for off-road triathlon, claimed the bronze medal.

“The crosswind on the bike was most definitely the toughest part of the race,” said Manny. “It made it difficult to maintain speed along the course. It was a great feeling to cross the line knowing my efforts on the bike and run were rewarded,” she enthused.

The men’s race was a battle between another pair of juniors with the reigning Macarthur Triathlon Champion Cody Salter becoming the first junior in club history to hold both titles simultaneously! Over the initial 4km run Salter set a strong pace before riding out to an unassailable lead over the 20km bike. With the win easily his he didn’t let up to extend his lead in the final 2km and run clear. Second place was his training partner, 16-year old Makenzie Kautz who ran his decisive final run leg at an incredible 3:32/km pace to ensure the silver medal and also the fastest run split.

“It was great coming across the line, finishing in first and [becoming] the first person in a while to hold both titles for the club,” said Salter. Like Manny he also commented on the wind: “The hardest part of the race was the bike with the crosswind going down the hill.”

The Wests Macarthur Duathlon Championship is the highlight of Macarthur Triathlon Club’s winter duathlon series. Members of Macarthur Triathlon Club compete over varying age appropriate distances to crown the outright and age-group champions. More than 40 athletes from 7 years of age competed on race day under glorious blue skies but with strong and gusty winds.

Macarthur Triathlon Club’s year continues with the 2019-20 Macarthur Triathlon Championship that commences on October 20 at the Macquarie Fields Leisure Centre. Designed to be great for novices and experts alike, the Macarthur Triathlon Series features 6 different races for junior athletes and 3 for senior athletes at each round to ensure distances are available for athletes of all ages and abilities. Focussed on being family-friendly, each round is designed to be affordable with low entry fees a part of the club’s ethos.

Macarthur Triathlon Club is the premier triathlon club in the southwest of Sydney. Founded in 1987, the club’s members include 2012 Olympic Bronze Medallist Erin Densham, World Triathlon Series race medallist Natalie Van Coevorden, members of NSW & regional junior elite programmes and amateur athletes of all ages and abilities. Macarthur Triathlon Club is a successful and diverse club that is proud of its family friendly, supportive atmosphere that encourages all athletes to achieve their best in all forms of multisport competition. Macarthur Triathlon Club is proud to be sponsored by Wests Campbelltown and ABC Bikes.

For more information about Macarthur Triathlon Club, please visit the MTC website at www.mactri.com or follow #teamMacTri on facebook at https://www.facebook.com/teamMacTri or instagram and twitter at @teamMacTri

-ENDS-

For more information about Macarthur Triathlon Club, please contact MTC Publicity Officer Thomas Warren on 0432 663 454.