The Olympics are held in different years. You've spent years taking baby steps toward that glorious moment, and then suddenly everything comes together.
For all stakeholders in the sport, from fans to organizers to media members, the sight of the Olympic Games just around the corner is enough to get your heart racing. For athletes, the effect is even greater. Everything is getting brighter, faster, more intense, and the final stages of the Olympics are looming in sight.
But no two athletes' paths to the Olympics are the same. That's why World Triathlon is pleased to present the first installment of our “Paths to Paris'' series, tracing the paths of the world's best triathletes.
Australian triathlon star rises again
Today we start with an athlete who is more than capable of winning a gold medal at this summer's Olympics. he knows it. His rivals know it. The important thing is that his country knows it too.
When Matthew Hauser (Australia) steps onto the pontoon at the Paris Olympics, he will do so under the gaze of an expectant domestic audience.
When asked how his training was going, Hauser replied, “I've had a few bike accidents.” “I got a concussion late and missed training for a week or two, but it wasn't fun. It's not all smooth sailing, but if it was smooth sailing it would be boring.”
So far, his journey to Paris has not been a dull one.
New coronavirus derails test event plans
After winning his first WTCS last summer with a performance that made his name known throughout the triathlon community, Hauser was sidelined by COVID-19 and was forced to withdraw from the Paris test event. He wasn't just passing up the chance to explore his Olympic path. He also missed out on his first chance to qualify for Australia's Olympic team.
“Of course I wanted to be at the race in Paris. Alex (Yee) had such a great performance that it was definitely tough sitting in my hotel room and watching the live stream.”
“It wasn't just an illness. I couldn't get out of bed, so it was a little easier to swallow.”
In the weeks that followed, his recovery proved tougher than expected. At times, I found it difficult to breathe, especially when I was exerting myself. But at his WTCS final in Pontevedra, his second Olympic selection race was on the horizon.
“Pontevedra was a bit of a mess,” Hauser admitted. “But it gave me the mentality of a killer with no margin for error. I had to succeed in this whole race in order to qualify for the top eight.”
He got off to a great start and pulled the field out of the water. The second test was done on a bike.
“We worked very well on the bikes in the front group. The French were just driving and I was trying to help as much as I could. Maarten van Riel pushed us all to the point of dropping out. It was.”
In the end, Hauser finished eighth, good enough to earn a spot on the team.
“I remember crossing the line and breaking down in tears with my coach. We hugged each other and it was a really special moment. Despite the ups and downs this year, we still achieved our big goal of making the Olympic selection. We were able to achieve this.”
puzzle pieces come together
Now able to set his sights on Paris, Hauser turned his attention to how the race would develop at Pontevedra. After pushing through the swim and bike, the lead group managed to drop favorites Hayden Wilde and Alex Yee. Hauser took the lessons learned from the race to heart, considering the same thing happened at the 2022 WTCS Finals.
“The most important thing is for everyone to come together, work together, and have a true belief that the effort will ultimately lead to great success. It shows on the results page: twice in a major championship. did.”
“It's not just about going under 29 minutes. There are several different factors that have to come together to win the race.”
As it stands, Hauser is the first player out of the water on the WTCS field and one of the few players capable of posting field-leading run splits. In fact, he accomplished both feats en route to his first WTCS win in Montreal.
Given his success and ability, Australian audiences will have high expectations for him in Paris.
Five Australian women have won Olympic medals to date. No Australian man has yet achieved this. The men have had a lot of success over the years. Peter Robertson scored a hat-trick of world titles in the 2000s, Brad Kahlefeldt won gold at the Commonwealth Games as part of a fantastic 2006 season, and Jacob Birtwhistle won a WTCS race to add to his gained a position.
Now it's Hauser's turn to shoulder that expectation.
“I’m very proud to have the opportunity to continue that success and lead a new wave of triathlon talent from Australia. I embrace it.”
Additionally, he drew lessons from the experience of the previous Tokyo Olympics. The team's disappointing results caused discord in the country's triathlon community.
“My approach to the Olympics has changed a bit, wanting to make sure I grab every opportunity with both hands. Heading into Tokyo, I was probably a little young and naive and expected more than I could deliver. It might have been a big eye-opener.”
Similarly, Hauser had the opportunity in Tokyo to see how a gold medal across the sport would lift the Australian team.
“I want to provide an empowering and uplifting moment for Australia.”
Australia hopes – Hauser is ready to deliver
Given its population size, Australia has long punched above its weight. The country has produced world champions in a variety of sports and is a major player in overall Olympic medal tally. Therefore, there are unique pressures to represent a country whose cultural identity has a lot to do with sporting success.
But Hauser ignored it.
“The relaxed atmosphere and being a young, vibrant country go hand in hand.”
Similarly, he remained calm about the prospect of becoming the first Australian man to win an Olympic medal in triathlon.
“That would mean the world to me. It's a four-year cycle. If you're not aiming to win or medal or get to the top in a race, then what are you doing? 60 people will line up on the starting line in Paris and essentially aim for the gold medal.”
“Everyone who has invested so much time into me and my journey, I want to do it for them.”
“But I'm not going to put my medal on a pedestal. It's about knowing who I am and where I need to be physically and mentally to perform my best on the day. , that’s what I’m aiming for.”
Recent history shows that Hauser cannot expect smooth sailing to Paris. But when he gets there, he'll be ready for whatever happens.
Australia is hopeful. And Matt Hauser is ready to make that happen.
