Nearly 5,000 athletes from 71 countries gathered this week in Wollongong, Australia, to participate in the 2025 World Triathlon Championships. Cook Islands were represented by veteran Roland Neururer and 18yo Maya Postrzygacz, competing on the Olympic distance consisting of a 1.5km swim, 40km cycle and a 10km run.
The condions on race day were near perfect, with little breeze, temperatures around 25c and water at 19c. The open ocean swim course was reasonably calm but the competors had to battle a strong ebb tide on their way back into the harbour. Maya and Roland started strong, each completing the 1500m swim in 25min 32sec. The 40km cycle leg that followed was a true test of fitness and bike handling skills. “I absolutely loved the course” says Postrzygacz. “Each lap had a technical section through the city with lots of tight corners and steep hills, followed by a long open road to really put the hammer down”. Neururer concurs: “The ride was not for the faint-hearted. We managed to get through without dramas but a few people suffered crashes and punctures.”
Thousands of spectators gathered along the roads, providing a thunderous applause to the athletes. “The crowds were incredible!” says Postrzygacz “They really made you fly.” And fly she did, completing the bike leg in 1h 11min 10sec- the fastest split in her age group. Neururer also rode well, posting a me of 1h 13min 28sec, before proceeding to the final leg of the race, a 10km run. “The course was tough, with lots of turns and sharp inclines.” he says “Especially the steep climb to the lighthouse made us all suffer”. Maya did her best to stick with the top runners but eventually had to settle for the 4th place in U20 category, crossing the finish line in 2h 32min 32sec. “For the first time I was racing against a strong field of girls my age, so my expectations were very modest due to lack of experience. I had a decent swim and solid cycle, but to earn your place on the podium one needs to perform well in all three disciplines and my run today was simply not good enough. With more time and sweat I know I can get there. The competition has given me a lot of motivation to keep up with my training.” Postrzygacz sums up. Neururer finished the race in 2 hours 38min 29sec, improving his time from 2024 World Championships in Spain by over 26 minutes and placing 46th in a hotly contested 60-64 age group.
The Cook Island Triathlon Association praised the organizers: “Wollongong delivered an incredible event- the venue, the atmosphere and the level of compeon were all top notch! Hosting a championship of such calibre down-under is a unique chance for our local sportspeople to gain an invaluable racing experience. We’re glad we had a young Cook Islands athlete that made the most out of it.” Postrzygacz expressed her gratitude for the opportunity: “Representing our small island nation on the world stage is a huge privilege. It would not be possible without the support of many people. Meitaki Ma’ata to Cook Islands Triathlon and Victoria University for financial assistance, Rob Dallimore for coaching, Des Comer, Janice and Michael Brown for their hospitality in Wollongong, and of course my family and friends for all kinds of help, prayers and encouragement.
Roland Neururer will remain in Australia for a couple more days to represent Oceania at World Athletics Conference, while Maya will travel back to Wellington to finish her university exams. Her next competion is the New Zealand National Championships on the 23rd of November in Tauranga.
