Ironman Ali Day on retiring, goals for Australian surf life saving titles 2021

One of Australia’s greatest surf life saving athletes ironmen has talked retirement after his historic win in the Nutri-Grain Ironman series.

Ali Day won all six rounds of the professional ironman series this season in a first for the sport. Pic: Supplied

One of Australia’s greatest ironmen has talked retirement after his historic win in the Nutri-Grain Ironman series.

Ali Day has unfinished business in Australian surf lifesaving and that will keep him in the sport a while longer.

The ironman spoke of his retirement plans to NewsLocal after winning his third Nutri-Grain crown at Kingscliff on Sunday with a historic sweep of the event.

Ali Day was our of the sport for an extended period with injury.

“(Retired champions) Zane (Holmes), Ky (Hurst), Shannon (Eckstein) were on the beach,” Day said. “I know it is over pretty soon and that’s scary. I love it so much.”

The 30-year-old said he has given himself another two or so seasons in the sport.

Day said retirement thoughts have crossed his mind in the past but a long lay-off of 600+ days with wrist injury prior to this season has probably extended his career.

Happy Days for Ali. Pic: Harvpix.

Ali Day and baby son Danny. Pic: Supplied,

“Maybe the injury has prolonged my career, I don’t know. But it probably has,” Day said.

“I feel I have a lot more to offer. I’d say at least two more years.

“But I’ll stop went the motivation runs dry.”

Motivation right now isn’t an issue.

Ali Day on his way to his historic win.

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Over the past decade the one race - and the one most cherished by ironmen - he has failed to capture is an Australian ironman win.

“I want to win that Aussie title. It’s the one thing that has eluded me,” said the NSW south coast athletes now based in Queensland with his wife and baby son Danny.

The Australian surf life saving championships will be held on the Sunshine Coast in April.

This coming weekend NSW surf life savers including Lizzie Welborn, who finished third behind Lana Rogers and Georgia Miller in the ironwoman series, will race at the state championships.

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