Victorious: OCdt Katherine Baker trains at ADFA after winning her age group at the Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii. Photo by Pte John Wellfare

By Pte Andrew Williamson

A FIRST-year ADFA cadet was crowned champion in her age group at the Triathlon World Championships in Hawaii in only her second Olympic distance competition in the sport.

OCdt Katherine Baker, 18, won the female 16- to 19-year-old age group at the Triathlon World Championships in Honolulu on October 9.

She finished with a clear lead of more than two minutes over her closest rival in the race, which consisted of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and 10km run.

Her time of 2hr 21min was exceptional, due in part to an unstoppable bike split of 1hr 8min. The win was all the more remarkable because she has suffered shin splints over the past few months and has had little experience in the sport.

Coming from a swimming background and with a keen interest in running, she decided to take the advice of friends late last year and give triathlon a go.

OCdt Baker said that while the other girls at the world championships knew each other from previous competitions, she was an unknown.

“Everyone was really surprised when I won,” she said.

Her seven-day-a-week training program only started in May after her first win during a qualifying triathlon for the world titles where she began learning the finer points of the sport from her coach, Ben Gathercole.

“Training’s certainly not easy – bike rides on Saturdays can go for five hours or more,” she said.

Her coach was the only person who was not surprised at her world-beating performance.

“She is exceptionally talented and has a lot ahead of her,” Mr Gathercole said. “I think it is so very Australian, where talented people can just turn up to championships for sports that they are interested in and blow the competition away.”

OCdt Baker has been granted the title of Elite Sportswoman within the ADF and now looks forward to seeing how far she can progress in the sport. “I want to take it as far as I can, but at the same time I want to continue my career in the military,” she said.

Her short-term goal is to defend her title at the world championships in Switzerland, next year. Her coach has indicated Olympic competition is also a possibility.

ADFA Commandant Cdre James Goldrick congratulated OCdt Baker, saying the efforts marked “a proud achievement in representing Army and ADFA”.

“Her win carries with it the hallmarks of endurance, a pursuit of excellence and the level of commitment that is required to achieve both great sporting and academic results,” he said.

OCdt Baker is studying a science degree at ADFA, where she hopes to major in chemistry and Indonesian.

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