SCV triathlete trains for world competition

Kevin Hanratty will be competing in Australia later this month. COURTESY PHOTO
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About a 45-minute to an hour drive from the Brisbane or Gold Coast Airport in Gold Coast, Australia is the Broadwater Parklands, the site of the 2018 International World Triathlon Grand Final. Valencia resident and College of The Canyons student Kevin Hanratty will be competing here as thousand of triathletes will converge on the five-day competition.

Taking part on September 12-16, the International Triathlon Union (ITU) opening ceremonies will be held on Wednesday the 12th with over 5,000 athletes from 46 different countries across the world taking part in the five-day event.

Hanratty will be one of 400-500 participants that the U.S. contingency sends over, but a little more than three years ago, this was not something that he would have taken part in.

“About three years ago, my dad’s work had a triathlon team,” Hanratty said. “He asked me if I wanted to do it and I was a really hesitant at first, but then I starting running for about three months until practice season came along and I got myself on a bike and the rest is history.”

Competing in three triathlons up until now, Hanratty’s first triathlon took place in Malibu in September 2016. Placing first in the event, Hanratty qualified for the USA Triathlon Nationals in Omaha, Nebraska, which were held in August of 2017.

“(Malibu) was my first Olympic distance so I didn’t really know what to expect,” Hanratty said. “I honestly didn’t think I was going to place because I didn’t get to train as hard as I wanted to, but somehow it just all came together and I did it.”

Finishing in the top 10 percent of the 17-19 age group at Nationals in Omaha, Hanratty was invited to represent his country in Australia later this month.

Training for Worlds for the past eight months, Hanratty has described his training schedule as constant and unwavering, citing that he has practice four days a week adding a track and pool workout on Tuesday nights and a bike session on Thursday nights.

“…I also try to do a full circuit at Zuma beach on Saturday and Sundays,” Hanratty said.

Leaving for Australia on September 8, Hanratty will only participate on Sunday, September 16th, beginning with a 1,500-meter swim, then a 39.4-kilometer bike ride finishing with a 10-kilometer run.

Flourishing at one of the most grueling and physically demanding sports out there, Hanratty still approaches every training session, workout regimen and triathlon with the same mindset.

“Honestly, you just have to have the right mindset going into it. You can’t stop or slow down because you’re going to lose. It’s pretty much keep pushing on until the end.”

 

 

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