'It's addictive': First timer Sarah's second place in girls only triathlon

Sarah Collison, 22, hails from Tamworth. She made her triathlon debut in the girls only race conducted by Forster Tri Club on Sunday, January 21 at Forster.

The event was run in sweltering conditions as entrants negotiated a 300m swim in Wallis Lake followed by a 12km bike and 3km swim.

Collison contested the race with her mum, so she was able to claim family bragging rights, finishing second.

"I started training for this a few months ago,'' she said.

"It has been a couple of years in the works, I've had a few injuries and then I had a break for a while. I got back into training just before Christmas.''

She said competing in the girls-only race was a goal for her and her mum.

"We decided to give it a go and it was fun, although it was a little bit hot,'' she said.

Collison has a background in swimming, so completing the 300m leg held no demons.

"But I need to do a bit of work with the ride,'' she said.

"Heaps of people went past me.''

She said the last lap on the bike was tough.

"But the run... in the first half of the run my legs were struggling.''

While this was her first race, it won't be her last.

"It's addictive,'' she said.

"I think I'll be joining the local (tri) club at home.''