Ruie and Henry Take on the World Stage at Triathlon Championships

By Ruie Hyslop and Henry Hodgson | Posted: Wednesday October 22, 2025

Otago Boys’ High School athletes Ruie Hyslop and Henry Hodgson proudly donned the silver fern as they competed on the world stage at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships in Wollongong, Australia.

Ruie Hyslop

Recently, I had the incredible opportunity to represent New Zealand at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships, competing in the U16–U19 category. The event was a sprint-distance race, consisting of a 750 m swim, 20 km bike, and 5 km run.

The race got off to a tough start when my goggles came off early in the swim, which put me on the back foot heading into transition. However, I managed to settle into a strong group on the bike leg, working well together to make up time. The hilly 5 km run suited me well, and I was able to push hard and gain several positions, finishing 15th overall in my category.

Later in the week, I also competed in the mixed team relay event, where each athlete completed a short swim, bike, and run before tagging the next teammate. Our team put in a strong performance and finished 4th in our age category—just outside the medals.

Overall, it was an amazing experience to race on the world stage, represent New Zealand, and watch and learn from some of the best triathletes from around the globe.

Henry Hodgson

On Friday, 17 October, I competed at the World Triathlon Age Group Championships held in Wollongong, in the 16–19 age group (as did Ruie), which I qualified for earlier this year. It was my first time completing the sprint distance of a 750 m swim, 20 km bike, and 5 km run. Here are my results:

Swim: 11:00
T1: 1:44
Bike: 31:45
T2: 1:41
Run: 19:45
Total time: 1:05:56

I had a good swim, coming out towards the middle of the pack. This meant I got into a large group on the bike before attacking off the front of that group with three other guys. I suffered a bit on the run due to the heat but ended up coming 49th out of a field of 79, which I am pleased with.

It was an excellent experience, and I look forward to the upcoming triathlon season.

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