Local triathlete champ to defend title2 min read
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During lockdown, Hillsborough resident, Terry Jack joined his neighbour, who was training for an ironman, mostly as a way to get out of the house for some exercise. Now, Terry is a champion triathlete and is heading to Australia next month to defend his title in the World Triathlon Age-Group Aquabike Championships.
Terry not only won the aquabike event in 2024, which is swimming and cycling without the run, he also finished in the top ten for the 40-44 age group sprint, a triathlon (bike, run and swim) on a course that covers half the Olympics distance. He also cracked the sprint top ten in 2023, and took silver in the aquabike event that year.
Terry lives and works locally, and does most of his training in the area too, including swimming at Jellicoe Pools with the Onehunga Tri-Squad, under coach Ben Amaro.
He credits Ben with providing invaluable training and support, while his squadmates bring the right balance of support, competition and motivation. In competition, Terry races for the North Harbour Triathlon Club under coach Steven Farrell, and has claimed many domestic titles.
For Terry, training is not just for event preparation and physical health, it’s also great for his mental well being.
“It makes my day so much easier after I’ve done something active, it helps to burn off any stress,” he says. “It’s a big time commitment, but it is rewarding.”
Another member of the Onehunga Tri-Squad, Kieran Coates, is also a top level triathlete. He won silver in the 25-29 age group in the World Triathlon Sprint & Relay Championships in 2024, bronze in 2023, and placed in the top five in the World Triathlon Age-Group Championships last year. Kieran was an age group champion in 2012 stepping away from competition in his teenage years, before returning to compete again.
After competing in Europe in recent years, it’s only a trip across the Tasman for the world champs this year, with the competition taking place in Wollongong, just south of Sydney.
However, the shorter plane ride makes no difference to the intensity of training, and Terry says he averages an hour-and-a-half a day, rotating between road cycling, stationary bike, swimming and running, while making sure to leave time to recover between sessions, and balance his work and personal life.
