The Dunedin 22-year-old is busy representing New Zealand at Oceania and Asia Pacific triathlon and running championships, and in between his training regime and lectures for his pharmacy degree there was very little time for changing clothes, he said.
"I’m very good at juggling these days."
Mr Westgate said he spent up to 3.5 hours a day training, split evenly between running, cycling and swimming, seven days a week.
"So for example, I might have a swim in the morning, a run at lunch, and then gym or cycling in the afternoon.
"Fitting classes into that regime is probably the toughest thing to do.
"It means getting up at 5am in the morning for swimming."
But the results speak for themselves.
This year alone, he has achieved 2nd in the 2025 Asia Triathlon Cup mixed relay in Japan; 12th in the 2025 Asia Triathlon Cup elite men; 20th in the 2025 Oceania Triathlon Super-Sprint Championships elite men in Australia; 4th in the 2025 Oceania Triathlon Championships under-23 men in Devonport; 8th in the 2025 Oceania Triathlon Championships elite men; 1st in the 2025 Otago 5km Road Championship, in Dunedin; and 2nd in the 2025 Otago 3km Spring Challenge, in Dunedin.
"Juggling and organising — I think I've had to learn to do quite well at that, for sure."
Ironically, instead of running, he drives to his lectures each day.
"It’s because I live at the top of North East Valley.
"I drive because that's my down time, I guess. It’s the only time I get to relax and rest during the day."
Despite it being the offseason, Mr Westgate is still in training for the Surfbreaker Triathlon at Mount Maunganui on December 27.
The controversial question has to be asked: Being a pharmacist, does he know what drugs are going to enhance his performance?
"Yeah, I know what drugs to avoid.
"Having done pharmacy, I've actually learnt more about what the drugs do and how they work, and it's quite cool to be able to apply that knowledge.
"They’re not only banned because they are performance-enhancing, they’re banned because if you take them for a long time they can damage your liver and have renal effects. Some of them can affect how well your heart functions.
"It’s given me an appreciation for why they ban these drugs."
After four years at the University of Otago, Mr Westgate said he was looking forward to graduating and working at a community pharmacy near Tauranga.
Getting his degree would be right up there with having a gold medal at a major triathlon, he said.
"Both require a lot of time and effort, so I think I have an appreciation on both sides.
"I think, especially on the day, I'll be pretty stoked and happy to be walking across that stage."
And he would be doing it in a suit and tie, with proper dress shoes, he said.
"I think my mum would kill me if I was wearing running shoes.
"I don't get to put a suit on very often, but I'll survive.
"I'll be in shorts and running shoes again as soon as it's done."
