The rigours of the Cannington Mine Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Triathlon are enough to make even the most seasoned athlete question their ability, but the prospect of taking part in the April 15 event is a dream come true for blind 16-year-old Mt Isa competitor Tristan Bowen.
Tristan was born with optic nerve hypoplasia (ONH), a condition that rendered him blind, but he has not let it slow him down in any way.
Tristan says his interest in triathlon was piqued in 2014 when he met local cyclist Steve Carson at an ANZAC Day parade in Mount Isa and was invited to try tandem cycling.
The pair struck up a fast friendship and have had many cycling adventures together since, including one memorable instance of a tyre blowing on the tandem bicycle when they were 20km from town.
“I really enjoy riding – I fell in love with the feeling of moving quickly,” Tristan said.
He said his blindness can present certain challenges, but being active is not one of them.
“There are a lot of things that I do because of my blindness that I don’t think I would do if I could see; tandem cycling is definitely one of them,” he said.
“For me, technology is one of the hardest things to keep up with – it’s getting better now, but it can be difficult to use especially in classes at school when things need to be in certain document formats.
“Triathlon isn’t like that – sure I need a different bike and someone to help guide me, but other than that it’s not really any different from how a sighted person would race.”
Tristan will compete in his first triathlon at the Cannington Mine Julia Creek Dirt n Dust Triathlon, with assistance from Mr Carson.
“I didn’t know Dirt n Dust was the toughest triathlon when I entered, but that doesn’t bother me too much.
“I’m not trying to win, just to make all our training pay off. I’m totally confident I’ll be able to complete it and I’m really looking forward to it.”
Following the Dirt n Dust Triathlon, Tristan and Mr Carson will attempt the Border Ride, 202km from Mount Isa to Camooweal.
“Blindness doesn’t limit a person’s capabilities.
“There’s always a way to achieve your goals, you just need to think outside the box.”
For more information and to register, go to www.dirtndust.com
