EMMA Sewell's comeback to the Australian 70.3 (half ironman) race at Port Macquarie didn't go as planned.
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The 23-year-old last contested the event in 2022 when she won the women's 18-24 years division. She missed last year as she was travelling around Australia.
Sewell's hopes of repeating her winning performance came unstuck in the 90km bike leg of the race.
"On the first lap the chain jammed and it was a struggle to get it out,'' she said.
"Then on the second leg I got a flat tyre. Everything just seemed to go wrong.''
She clocked 3 hours 05 for the bike. She was hoping for a 2.40 to 2.45.
Despite this Sewell still finished fifth overall in her age division and has qualified for the world championship to be held in New Zealand in December.
She is the Manning River Times-Iguana Sport Award winner for this week, earning her a $50 open order from Iguana.
Overall her time was 5 hours 35, which she said given her travails, was pretty good. The 18-24 year winner clocked 4 hours 40.
"I was really happy with my run, which is surprising because I usually dread it. But that was probably the best part of the race,'' she said.
On the second leg I got a flat tyre. Everything just seemed to go wrong
- Triathlete Emma Sewell
So now Sewell is looking for a better race in New Zealand. This will be her second crack at the world championship following Utah in 2022.
She initially had no trouble getting back into the training grind after returning from her travels in late 2022.
"I was having a really good season at the start,'' she said.
"I had a third at South West Rocks, but then it all went a bit downhill from there. I had a broken bike at Lake Macquarie in an Olympic distance race.
"But it was probably mentally hard to get back into competing and training after having such a long time off.''
Break from training
She's now having a break from training until mid-June and expects to be fully committed by July as she steps up preparations for New Zealand. Sewell plans on entering a few running events during winter to mix things up a bit. When she went to Utah she was able to train with her dad, Richard, who had also qualified. This time she'll be solo.
For the immediate future Sewell is happy to stick with the 70.3 races.
However, he longer term ambition is to enter the ironman race.
"I think maybe when I move up to the 25-year-old age group I might have a go at the ironman,'' she said.
However, she's also keen to see a bit more of the world.
"I'm not sure what's next, although I'll go to New Zealand to travel as well as race,'' she said.
