Pentathlete geared up for latest challenge of Busselton half-ironman

Australian pentathlete Tori Squire has taken up a challenge of a different kind.

On Saturday the Tenterden resident will tackle her first half-ironman event, the Ironman 70.3 in Busselton.

Squire, pictured, won a silver medal at the Modern Pentathlon National Championships in 2018 and in 2019 won an international pentathalon competition in Waikato, New Zealand.

With a host of her running and pentathlon events cancelled or postponed this year, the 25-year-old has used the time to prepare for her latest challenge.

In February, Squire began to prepare for a 70.3 race in May that was postponed, and then she decided to try to attempt a full Ironman, but last month that event was cancelled.

Squire has effectively been training for 36 consecutive weeks and is ready for the big test: finishing a 1.9km swim, 90.1km ride and then a 21.1km run.

Squire hopes to complete the half-ironman race in less than the allocated 71/2-hour time limit, but says the event has always been something on her checklist.

“I always wanted to do a full Ironman but I never thought it was a realistic goal,” Squire said.

“I fell in love with half-marathon running and I thought ‘why not give it a crack?’.

“Everything got cancelled and I started training in February for what was going to be 16 weeks until the full Ironman that was then postponed.

“So I haven’t stopped training for 36 weeks.

“I’ve only done one triathlon before so I’m jumping in the deep end and it’s my first one, but hopefully I can complete it under 71/2 hours and I think that is doable.”

Squire said the riding part of her training had been the most difficult part.

“It’s about balance with all three disciplines,” she said.

“The bike is a fairly new thing for me, and the road trains in Tenterden can be pretty scary.

“A big thanks to Stuart Passmore, who has been coaching me with the bike and the whole team at Passmore Cycles, who have all helped me.”