▪ Photo contributed
Former Cobar athlete Hannah-Lee Young has achieved a dream result on the world stage, finishing sixth in the elite women’s race at the XTERRA World Championships in Ruidoso, New Mexico, USA, on Saturday.
Hannah-Lee, who grew up in Cobar and set numerous Cobar Little A’s and Cobar Athletics & Triathlon Squad Club (CATS) records, completed the gruelling off-road triathlon in two hours, 53 minutes and 37 seconds, competing against some of the world’s best athletes.
XTERRA is an international off-road triathlon competition which combines swimming, mountain biking and trail running, taking competitors away from traditional roads and onto challenging natural terrain.
The World Championship course featured a 1.5km swim, 27km mountain bike ride and 10km trail run, with the mountainous terrain and high altitude adding to the challenge.
Hannah-Lee was delighted with her performance, particularly after recovering a couple of places during the final running leg.
“Good, solid swim. Amazing. I was pretty happy with the pace,” she said.
“On the bike, I struggled to find flow, and the climbs just took it out of me.
“I lost a couple of places on the bike.
“I got to the run and just knew I had to dig deep and give it everything.”
Her familiarity with the running course proved valuable, allowing her to regain two positions before crossing the finish line.
“Sixth place at the World Championship – I mean, dream come true,” she said.
France’s Alizée Patiès claimed the women’s world title, while fellow Australian Maeve Kennedy finished third.
Hannah-Lee said the welcoming atmosphere in Ruidoso reminded her of growing up in Cobar where everyone says hello and the people are part of a close-knit community.
She said she had found that same friendliness in Ruidoso, where locals regularly stopped to say hello.
“It has that beautiful small-town feel that I grew up with, so it reminds me a lot of home.
“Everyone loves my accent, so that’s been really nice.”
Hannah-Lee, who has been involved in XTERRA for the past three years, said the sport had given her opportunities to travel the world, develop friendships and challenge herself.
“I get so excited to race the World Cup.
“You get to travel and race around the whole world, riding your bike. How cool is that for a job? It’s pretty special,” Hannah-Lee said.
She encouraged others, including friends in Cobar, to get outdoors and discover what they were capable of achieving.
“I think there’s no greater feeling than achieving something really tough.
“What a privilege it is to go out and see what you’re capable of, push your limits, and come to the finish line with a smile.
“That’s the most important thing.”
