‘There’s a chance I could still be around’: Aussie sporting icon sets sights on new milestone amidst battle with cancer

Eight months after receiving a life-changing cancer diagnosis, one of Australia’s greatest sporting inspirations has been nominated for the prestigious Daphne Pirie Spirit of Sport Award, and that’s not her only milestone. Full story inside

Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club coach Jenny Alcorn won the 55-59 women's age category at the ITU Cross Tri World Championships at Lake Crackenback. Picture credit: Delly Carr

Eight months after receiving a life-changing cancer diagnosis, one of Australia’s greatest sporting inspirations has been nominated for the prestigious Daphne Pirie Spirit of Sport Award.

Sixty-five-year-old Jenny Alcorn is one of 50+ nominees across all categories at this year’s Sports Gold Coast awards evening.

While she is grateful for the recognition, Alcorn said she was surprised to hear she had been nominated.

“It’s an absolute honour even just to be nominated because I know the calibre of awesome people on the Gold Coast that would be up for these kinds of awards,” she said.

Jenny Alcorn, a 57 year old triathlete who recently won world 55-59 female in Hawaii pictured at Miami. Photo: Steve Holland

“It’s another way for me to stay positive and move forward to whatever is ahead of me.

“My passion is for my sport and for helping and helping people and children and adults to achieve their goals in life, whether it be in sport or even just giving them the confidence to be able to move forward in life with more skill and more.”

The World Kona Ironwoman Champion (Age Group) and legendary triathlete was last year spun into a whirlwind of chemotherapy and treatments after a sudden seizure she’d initially put down to a hamstring injury.

“As you can imagine it was an absolute shock for me to have been diagnosed with supposedly an incurable brain tumour … I don’t think anyone who has glioblastoma can really understand where it’s come from.

Jenny Alcorn is a former World Kona Ironman champion, SPTC coach and triatholon athlete. She has recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Picture: Supplied

“In my case, I may have had it longer than I actually knew about.”

Alcorn suffered a seizure in 2023 which, while she thought was weird, didn’t raise alarm bells until later that morning.

“I kind of struggled just getting down the stairs and left leg was a bit funny.

“I took myself off the hospital after my training session.”

Scans found two tumours in Alcorn’s brain which were removed before returning months later.

The then 64-year-old’s diagnosis of glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive form of cancer, came as a complete shock.

“She’s the fittest person you could ever meet,” partner Margot Rupe said at the time.

Despite everything, Alcorn isn’t letting her condition define her.

“It’s just obviously life changing.

Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club coach Jenny Alcorn won the 55-59 women's age category at the ITU Cross Tri World Championships at Lake Crackenback. Picture credit: Delly Carr

“I have to pull all my instincts, all my strength and all my positive being into moving forward from here as much as I can, even knowing how bad the prognosis is,” she said

“So far, I’ve been very proud of myself for being able to still attend all my coaching sessions and still be involved.

“I’ve hired specific kinds of equipment that I’m hoping will kind of assist in the longevity of my life … I’ve got a helmet on my head which has infrared waves, I go to hyperbaric chambers to oxygenate the brain and help get rid of toxins in the body.”

Alcorn’s battle is terrifying, and with no way to predict good or bad days, she has already chosen to focus on a ‘next big thing:’ The 2024 World Triathlon Multisport World Championships.

Set to land in Townsville this August, the 12-day event will host 19 races across five levels of including Age Group, Para triathletes, Junior, Under-23 and Elites.

Jenny Alcorn is a former World Kona Ironman champion, SPTC coach and triatholon athlete. She has recently been diagnosed with an aggressive form of brain cancer. Picture: Supplied

“A few people in my squad pointed out to me and ‘you’ve got it, you’ve got to nominate, at least put an expression of interest in.’

“I thought about it and figured why not … Why don’t why don’t I just set myself a goal?

“You know, there’s a chance that I could still be around so I need to need a target and need a goal,” she said.

Alcorn said she is simply one of those people with the will to hurt and push hard; a ‘give it everything’ person.

“That never changes.

“It just might be at a different level, but I’ve always had that fight and that grit in me.”