Gold medallist dives into Noosa

BRONTE Barratt is used to diving into a pool, not into sand. But yesterday, the Olympic Games gold medallist took a nose dive on to Noosa Main Beach.

Soft sand landing: Well, sort of, as swim star Bronte Barratt and instructor Darren Harvey hit the Main Beach at Noosa. Picture: Geoff Potternz

BRONTE Barratt is used to diving into a pool, not into sand.

But yesterday, the Olympic Games gold medallist took a nose dive on to Noosa Main Beach.

Barratt tasted some of the Sunshine Coast’s finest white sand when her skydiving landing didn’t quite go to plan.

Seconds earlier, fellow swimming golden girl Jess Schipper made a textbook landing on the orange X as part of the Noosa Triathlon Multi-Sport Festival launch.

“That was the most extreme thing I’ve done, but it was amazing,” Barratt said afterwards.

“I don’t think I put my legs high enough so we kind of stacked it a bit on the landing.

“We were pretty scared. I watched Jess jump out before me and that was the scariest part…I wanted to throw up.”

Schipper likened her nerves to standing on the blocks before a major meet, but Barratt was quick to disagree.

Schipper also revealed she had to jump first after losing paper, scissors, rock.

“That went really well. I was kind of scared about the landing but it was fine,” she said.

“It was easily one of the scariest things I’ve done.”

The festival features Super Saturday this afternoon with the Legends Triathlon, Cycling Grand Prix and Asics Bolt 5km Run before tomorrow’s Noosa Triathlon.

The festival village is also open all day where there will be celebrity cooking displays and other stalls.

Originally published as Gold medallist dives into Noosa