Whitsundays’ own Michael Kimpton is continuing to show resilience and non-stop commitment, taking the top podium finish for his age group at the iconic Half Ironman even in Hobart, Tasmania in early February.
Following this huge success, he has now being invited to represent Australia at the World Half Ironman Championships in Taupo, New Zealand in December this year.
“I’ve already met my new year’s resolution,” Michael joked.
“I’ve had this event in Tasmania earmarked since November, and I geared all my training to ensuring a good finish time.”
On the winning day, Michael and his fellow competitors were greeted with unseemly conditions.
“It was treacherous,” Michael explained.
“It was raining all morning, and it made the cycling leg so much more difficult. I didn’t perform the absolute best, but still enough to take out the top spot.”
In fact, Michael’s time of just over six hours to complete the two-kilometre swim, 90-kilomtre cycle, and 21-kilomtre run was the best for his age group, securing him an invite to the World Half Ironman Championship.
“An invitation like this is as rare as a hen’s tooth, so I am absolutely over the moon.”
Michael started his triathlon journey back in 2017, when he relocated to the Whitsundays from Melbourne.
“Before that, I was a bit of a couch potato,” he described.
It took him 12 months to run the five-kilometre Parkrun, but he has since continued to represent Australia at international competitions.
“I just enjoy it,” he explained.
“If you like sport, you just do it. I find so much enjoyment from triathlons and ironmans, so I just keep doing them,” Michael explained.
In his age group for the World Half Ironman, Michael estimates he will be joined by about 80 other competitors from around the world.
Between now and World Championships, Michael will continue with the regime of conservative training, ensuring he is at his peak for December.
“I will do other events in between, but I won’t take them as seriously as Worlds,” he explained.
“I’m gearing up for this event, and I am so excited to head to New Zealand to represent Australia.”
