St Kevins College pupil and Triathlon New Zealand youth
academy member Reubyn Bisschops trains around Logan Park in
Dunedin this week. Photo by Peter McIntosh.
Reubyn Bisschops is a rising star and hopes to follow in
the strides of leading New Zealand triathlete Andrea Hewitt.
The bubbly St Kevins College pupil won the Otago-Southland
secondary school championships, finished second in the South
Island secondary schools event and was third in the New
Zealand secondary school championships.
Late last month she was named in the Triathlon New Zealand
youth academy and looks to have a bright future.
It has been a remarkable six months and it has all been
achieved on a smile.
Before this year the Academy Otago inductee raced for fun and
did not take the sport too seriously.
"Last year and the year before I only did them for fun. This
year it has got serious. I've got a coach and everything,"
she giggled.
Reubyn (16) was awakened to the possibilities while at a
triathlete camp in Christchurch.
"[Andrea Hewitt] spoke and it was quite inspiring."
Hewitt won her second World Cup event in Madrid this month
when she pipped Swede Lisa Norden by a fraction of a second
in a dramatic sprint finish.
It was the sort of performance which should help Reubyn to
stick to her new regime in the pool.
She is a good cyclist and a strong runner, but Reubyn is
tired of getting out of the water towards the back of the
field and is determined to improve her swim leg.
"I've never been a swimmer. They always say runners can't
swim but I'm getting there this year. This winter I'm going
to get stuck in at the pool."
That means four or five sessions in the pool each week which,
on top of all the cycling and running, does not leave time
for much of anything else.
"It is kind of hard juggling training and study. I'm either
biking or running or at the gym.
"I try to make time for my friends in the weekend but you
don't want to stay up too late with training the next
morning."
Reubyn's father is a keen runner and she got her start
training alongside former Otago distance runner Adair Craik
at a small club in Oamaru.
Her next big event is the New Zealand secondary schools
duathlon championships in Palmerston in August.
It is run-bike-run event. No swimming - which should suit
Reubyn.
Next year Reubyn wants to win the New Zealand secondary
schools championships and is eying up selection for the World
Youth Games.
Bookmark/Search this post with:
A name, residential address, and (preferably residential) telephone number is required from readers who comment on ODT Online. These details will not be visible to site visitors.