Champion triathlete Courtney Atkinson’s children inspiring his Rio bid

COURTNEY Atkinson has spent to best part of three years away from triathlon but Australia’s best performer at Beijing and London has extra motivation to make Rio.

DUAL Olympian Courtney Atkinson is back on the road to Rio for his kids as well as himself.

The 36-year-old was Australia’s best-performed male triathlete at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (11th) and again at the London 2012 Olympics (18th).

He spent the best part of the next three years indulging in endurance and adventure racing before turning his attention to a third tilt at the sport’s biggest dance.

Will Atkinson be laughing all the way to Rio? Picture: Lachie Millard

A critical part of his build-up to qualifying for the Australian team comes at the ITU World Cup event at Mooloolaba.

The sprint distance race (750m swim, 20km bike and 5km run) has attracted a quality field headed by world No.2 Mario Mola from Spain and will give Atkinson the perfect hit-out before the Olympic qualifying race for the Australian team on the Gold Coast next month.

Mackay-born, Gold Coast-based Atkinson said his motivation was for his kids Chloee, 8, and Leo, 4, to be able to see him race at the Olympics again and reward himself for a long and decorated triathlon career.

“I was away from it for nearly two and a half years,’’ Atkinson said. “I just went off after London because I’d been at it a long time and needed a change.

“It was the best thing I’ve ever done because it re-ignited the passion for what I love which is the Olympics.

“I asked my daughter what she thought, she was all for it and that did spur me on.

World No.2 Mario Mola will contest the Mooloolaba Triathlon. Picture: Lachie Millard

“It’s also for me. the first Olympics you’ve got a lot of pressure, you’ve got sponsors, your federation, but this time it’s for me.’’

Atkinson finished just outside the top 30 in last weekend’s Abu Dhabi ITU World Series race won by Mola, who is one of three Spaniards in the world’s top five.

He said the pace he was able to maintain in the run leg gave was an encouraging sign heading into Olympic qualifying.

Australia has two vacant spots after Aaron Royle pre-qualified at last year’s test event in Rio.

Atkinson said the sprint format at Mooloolaba would keep him sharp and fresh for the Gold Coast.

“I’ve come back into the Olympic distance events with no ranking or anything after being away for a few years but I believe if I race to my ability and my body holds together, I’m as good as ever,’’ he said.

The Australian duo of Emma Moffatt and Ashleigh Gentle heads the women’s field at Mooloolaba, with Gentle coming off a barnstorming second in Abu Dhabi.

“Hopefully I’ve got some gas left in the tank,’’ Gentle said.

Originally published as Champion triathlete Courtney Atkinson’s children inspiring his Rio bid