Dunedin triathlete Murray Gray is aiming for a medal in his
age group at the world triathlon championships next month.
Photo by Linda Robertson.
Dunedin's Murray Gray will spare a thought for those who
have guided him when he competes in the world triathlon
championships next month.
Gray and fellow Dunedin triathlete Steve Prescott are among
early favourites to win a medal at the ITU world
championships on Australia's Gold Coast.
The 46-year-old Gray will be contesting the 45-49 age group
and Prescott the men's 55-59.
Both won their respective age groups at the national
championships in Wellington in March to gain automatic
qualification to the world championships.
For Gray, a property manager with the University of Otago, it
will be his first time in world competition after 25 years of
contesting top multisport and endurance events.
He survived a tough introduction to triathlon in 1984, at a
time when the sport was still trying to gain credibility in
an environment dominated by swimming, cycling and running.
He was studying at Canterbury and Lincoln universities at a
time when world champion Erin Baker and national champion
John Hellemans were influencing athletes in Christchurch.
"They really drove the growth of the sport," Gray said.
"Back then you'd race these guys and be inspired.
"It's unfortunate that it's something you don't get a lot of
these days."
Gray moved to Dunedin for work in 1987, and his interest in
the sport took off when he began flatting with Mark Elliott.
He remembers a field of 300 fronting up for the Otago
triathlon championships in the early 1990s.
Danyon Loader was swimming for one of the top teams, and
internationals John Knight and Brendon Downey battled it out
for individual honours.
Gray said Elliott and people such as multisport scientist Jim
Cotter and local identity Ray Hope had boosted his interest
in triathlon.
He recalls Elliott's training regime.
"They were long hard sessions.
"We'd be out for hours at a time and I'd come back shattered.
"At times Mark would train so hard, I'd be totally destroyed.
"It's no coincidence that New Zealand has had such success in
triathlon and now cycling since Mark's taken over the reins
of high performance.
"He's just so motivated, organised and focused."
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