Olympian Genevieve Gregson takes out the 5km Bolt at the Noosa Triathlon Festival
In a race she has been trying to win for more than a decade, Olympian Genevieve Gregson has finally cracked through at the Noosa triathlon festival.
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Two-time Olympian Genevieve Gregson (nee LaCaze) ticked an item off her running “bucket list” when she stormed to victory in the 5km Bolt at the Noosa Triathlon festival.
The Olympic and World Championship finalist and national 3000m steeplechase record holder had been racing at Noosa since she was 14-years-old but had never cracked it for a victory on ‘Super Saturday’ before this weekend.
The 30-year-old Queenslander kicked away from Rose Davies as they approached the Garth Prowd Bridge along Noosa Parade and ecstatically high-fived the spectators in the VIP tent after she crossed the finish line.
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“That was the first, that’s why I’ve been overreacting. This means so much to me,’’ she said.
“I’m a Queenslander, I’ve been coming here with my family since I was 14-years-old. I used to race it and come God-knows-what and wish that I could be in the front pack.
“I worked my way to come second one year and after that I just thought that it was never going to happen. Those negative thoughts crept in my head during the race.
Gen rules Noosa! She has been trying since the age of 14 and at last @GenGen_LaCaze has won her first Noosa Bolt 5k race🥇
— Athletics Aus Pres 🇦🇺 (@Pres_AthsAust) November 2, 2019
Well done Gen & @jordywilliamsz in the men’s Bolt. Fantastic event & great racing 👠@AthsAust #thisisAthletics pic.twitter.com/PkDMZCb3lt
“To cross that line in first place…I have my family, friends all celebrating. I could see it in their eyes, they knew how much it meant. It’s a bucket list thing and I’ve ticked it.’’
Gregson has had an injury riddled four years since the Rio Olympics where she finished ninth in the final of the steeplechase and 12th in the 5000m final.
She broke through for her first race win in four years in Burnie last month and has set her sights on the domestic track and field season to keep building towards the Tokyo Olympics.
In the men’s Bolt, Melbourne’s Jordan Williamsz claimed his second Bolt title after his 2017 win at Noosa to extend his current winning streak to five races.
Williamsz – who represented Australia at the 2017 world titles – is targeting the 1500m for Tokyo.
Meanwhile, NSW cyclist Georgia Whitehouse won the women’s Australian Open Criterium in a hit-and-run mission.
Whitehouse and her Sydney University teammates flew into the Sunshine Coast on Saturday morning and flew home in the afternoon.
Whitehouse was too strong in the closing stages for world and Australian champion Rebecca Wiasak. As she collected the spoils from her overall race victory and intermediate sprint success at the official presentation, Whitehouse’s teammates were booking their airport shuttle.
In the men’s criterium, young gun Kaden Groves emerged from a five-man pack in the home straight to claim the win.
Originally published as Olympian Genevieve Gregson takes out the 5km Bolt at the Noosa Triathlon Festival