Georges River councillor Natalie Mort to compete in Ironman World Championship
A near drowning experience at Bondi Beach as a backpacker set Georges River Councillor Natalie Mort on a path that would see her overcome her fears to compete in triathlons. Now, at 63, she has qualified for next month’s Ironman World Championship in Hawaii.
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As an 18-year-old backpacker who couldn’t swim, Natalie Mort nearly died in a rip at Bondi Beach.
Yet, despite being terrified of the ocean, she overcame her fear and not only learnt to swim but would go on to compete in triathlons.
The Georges River councillor has now qualified for the elite Ironman World Championship event, the pinnacle of triathlon events around the world, being held on October 6 in Kona, Hawaii.
The full Ironman, considered one of the toughest races in the world, consists of a 3.8km swim, 180km bike and 42.2km run.
On May 1, through brutal rain and windy conditions in Port Macquarie - in a time of 13 hours, 32 minutes and 55 seconds - Councillor Mort was rewarded for her persistence, determination and motto of never giving up, when she qualified for Kona.
She later learnt she completed the event with Covid.
“I feel really good now,” Cr Mort said. “I had an injury I’ve overcome and I’m so excited to compete at that level.
“My nutrition is in order and my training has gone well.
“I hope to inspire people and to show that you can dream and do the impossible.”
Arriving in Australia from Ireland as an 18 year old, Cr Mort couldn’t swim.
“I was a backpacker and as all do, I went to Bondi Beach,” she said. “I had a swim and got caught in a rip.
“I nearly drowned and someone pulled me out. I don’t think I would have survived otherwise.
“Growing up in Ireland as one of 14 children, we had no swimming pool nor opportunity to learn to swim. My mum instilled a fear of water in us.”
It was only when Cr Mort had children and took them for swimming lessons at Kogarah War Memorial Pool at Carss Park that she decided, in her 30s, she needed to learn to swim too.
“I was desperate for my children to learn to swim as young as possible,” the Blakehurst Ward councillor said.
“I was in awe of the ability of the kids and adults swimming.
“I saw incredible athletes down at the Carss Park pool and I desperately wanted to be like them.”
Inspired by the many elite triathletes training at Carss Park Pool, Cr Mort not only learnt to swim, but she also decided she would train for triathlons.
In 1996, Cr Mort completed her first full ironman race.
Her first foray into triathlons was with a group of girlfriends, one of whom turned up with a basket on the front of her bike.
Cr Mort was competitive so decided to compete on her own at the next event.
She said she took time away from triathlon training to raise her kids but always continued to enjoy a run for her mental health.
It would be another 22 years before she attempted her second ironman race in 2017, after which she went on to complete in a further three ironman events, coming painstakingly close to qualifying for Kona but falling just one spot short each time.
Cr Mort said it was hard to miss out by only one spot but it also made her train harder.
She qualified for the World Championships in her fifth ironman attempt at Port Macquarie earlier this year.
“I was so overwhelmed when I got the spot to go to Kona,” she said. “I was blown away. After all those attempts now I get to compete in the race of my life.”
In preparation for the world event, Cr Mort has been doing a seven-hour bike ride on Saturdays, a three-hour run on Sundays, and will swim for half an hour in the pool up to five times a week.
“It takes a lot of time,” she said. “Training takes discipline and determination. I couldn’t do it without the support of my family and friends.”
She said her son and daughter also competed in triathlon events.
Mayor George Katris wished Cr Mort the “best of luck” for the competition.
“Cr Mort is to be admired for her work ethic, mental strength and determination in qualifying and preparing for the Ironman World Championships, training for hours and hours each day,” he said in a mayoral minute at the Georges River council meeting on Monday.
“Cr Mort’s achievement shows that you should never give up on your dream.
“She is an inspiration to our older residents to keep their body moving and proof that you are never too old to push your body to the extreme limits.”
Cr Mort got involved in council through organising a petition and trying to save her beloved Kogarah War Memorial Pool where she learnt to swim.
She helped gather 11,7000 signatures and presented it to council before running in the 2021 election.
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Originally published as Georges River councillor Natalie Mort to compete in Ironman World Championship
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