Duathlete ready to face world's best

Toowoomba duathlete prepares for ITU Multisport World Championships in Denmark

READY TO RACE: Toowoomba's Suellen Vaughan will represent Australia in the Duathlon Sprint event at the ITU Multisport World Championships in Denmark on Sunday. Picture: Kevin Farmer

DUATHLON: Athletes are known to push through the pain barrier - sometimes ignoring their bodies in the pursuit of glory.

Things are different for Toowoomba's Suellen Vaughan though. It is the absence of pain - or rather a particular type of pain - that drives her forward.

In 2011 Vaughan, 36, was involved in a serious cycling crash - hit by a car while on a training ride with a friend she fractured her skull.

"I had six months off work while I recovered,” she said.

"Then I had to go through a whole return to work process - it was a very difficult time.

"I use that as motivation now. I think to myself if I was able to come back from that then I can get out of bed to go for a run in the morning or go and train.”

That positive focus and determination is now paying off for Vaughan, who left for Denmark early this morning.

Vaughan will represent Australia at the ITU Multisport World Championships where she will compete in the Sprint Distance Duathlon which consists of a 5km run followed by a 20km bike leg and a second 2.5km run.

"My dream is a podium finish - that would be fantastic,” Vaughan said.

"But if I can finish higher than eighth I'll be happy. I finished eighth in Canada last year so I'd love to beat that.

"I don't know what the course is like so I don't have a time in mind.

"Once I'm over the jetlag I'll have a light ride around the course and I hope to at least walk through the run to get a feel for things.”

Vaughan, who will also represent Australia as a triathlete later this year, has been involved in racing for 10 years.

"I've been involved in triathlon or duathlon races for about 10 years, but it's only the last three years that I've been more competitive,” Vaughan said.

"It was pretty much after I had my second child.

"Running while pushing them both in the pram was really hard work.

"It paid off though because it made me a lot stronger and that helped my racing.”

Originally published as Duathlete ready to face world's best