Hickey, 17, was invited to Caloundra to race some of the nation’s leading senior triathletes in an Enduro series devised by Australian high performance director Michael Flynn and national coach Shaun Stephens.

Jack’s father and coach, John Hickey, was more than happy with his son’s effort to finish around midfield of the 40-strong high-class field.

“I think he finished 24th,” Hickey said.

“From a coach’s perspective that’s a good effort and a great experience for him to be racing these blokes.

“He was the third of the 16-19 year-olds to finish and the first 17-year-old.

“It was also pretty tough conditions with the wind and rain.

“The swim was extremely rough, like a water polo match.

“But Jack said he enjoyed it and was asking questions on how he can match it on the run with them.”

Hickey senior said the run leg was Jack’s achilles heel at the moment.

“He’s capable of a 3min 14secs run leg off the bike but these guys were all doing 2mins 45secs off the bike.

“That’s fast but shows how much work Jack has got to do to be

competitive.”

Under the enduro format, the triathletes completed a 400m swim, 7km bike and 1.8km run before finishing with a 300m swim, 7km bike and 1.8km run.

“Jack was about 24th after his first swim but then rode his way to the front on his first bike leg.

“He and another Queensland kid broke away and he had a 10-second lead when he started the first run.

“Then Courtney Atkinson took off and picked them up quickly on the run with the young pro David Matthews.

“After the second swim leg, he was about a minute behind Courtney.

“He rode himself back into sixth on the bike but was then passed by half the field on the final run.

“It just showed how much work he has to do on his run to match it with these guys.

“That’s the standard he’s got to reach.”

The talented teenager leaves Gunnedah later this month (February 28) to start a degree course in exercise science at Griffith University on the Gold Coast.