Jodie set to take on world’s best

By CPOMED Matt Keogh

Jodie Barker from HMAS Cerberus in race mode. Jodie will take on the world’s best Ironmen/Triathletes in Hawaii in October.

A civilian staff member from the HMAS Cerberus Medical Training School is the top female triathlete in the ADF and a qualifier for the 2004 Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Hawaii.

Jodie Barker will compete in the championships in Hawaii in October. The sport remains the most challenging and physically demanding sport in the world today.

Earlier this year, 40 ADF tri-athletes lined up with 1535 other competitors from across Australia to compete in the Forster/ Tuncurry Ironman.

Jodie put in an outstanding effort to finish 5th in her age group and be the first ADF female across the line.

It takes about eight to nine hours to be one of the first over the line in the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42 km run.

At 3am the competitors dragged themselves out of bed to begin one of the longest days in sport.

They arrived at the start point and prepared both their minds and their equipment in silence. At 6.15am the starting gun sounded and 3,070 arms started churning the water, turning a calm lake into a mass of white water.

The swim leg is considered by many as the most dangerous part of triathlon, because you can expect to be swum over and kicked in the face as you battle for position.

Jodie was the first ADF female out of the water in a time of 1:06:20. Heading out on the bike, it was not long before many competitors found the going hard, with only the strongest swallowing up the field.

Jodie had a strong cycle leg with a time of 5:51:37, 7th in her age group.

Going into the 42km run leg, Jodie recorded a run time of 3:51:25, which was 3rd in her age group.

Her total time of 10: 49:23 was 5th in her age group and the 1st ADF female. For this, Jodie was rewarded with a qualifying position for the Hawaiian Ironman in October, recognised internationally as the ultimate Ironman event.

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