He’s good-looking, intelligent, witty and incredibly successful. Courtney Atkinson was 17 when he was first referred to as a “legend”. Now, aged 29, he's living the dream. To the uninitiated it might seem like two hours of absolute torture, but Courtney Atkinson says the inherent variety in triathlon ensures he never tires of the sport.
Celebrity on wheels
The 29-year-old is a celebrity amongst triathlete enthusiasts since he burst in to the triathete circuit in 1996. Since then he has enjoyed a decorated career and can’t imagine himself doing anything else. “In my last few years of high school I realised that I wasn’t going to have to get the normal teenage job at Macca’s or the corner shop. I was out racing weekends to make pocket money. Before this, I grew up competing in surf life saving events on the Gold Coast, but the new international sport of triathlon with its opportunities of travel had me hooked straight away,” Atkinson said.
Intimidating success
To top it all off, Atkinson is also a five-time Australian grand prix series champion and in 2007 he won the World Cup event in Ishigaki in Japan, and the Red Bull Jungfrau Stafette Adventure Race in Zurich, while 2008 has netted victories at the Australian Olympic Distance Triathlon Championships, Australian Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships and Nossa Triathlon. And this is just the beginning."
Blood, sweat and tears
It has been no walk in the park for Atkinson though who has had to work extremely hard to get where he is now. “Being a triathlete at an international level is all physical. I train anywhere from 4-6 hours of a mix of swim, bike, run and aerobic workouts 6 days a week. Add gym sessions and massage to this, and I have plenty keeping me occupied during my days,” Atkinson said. “There are always different ways to going about training. The best way I can put it is that it is no different to anyone’s job. Hopefully most people like their job, I love my job and most days I want to get out there and try to improve myself,” Atkinson continued.
Age and wisdom
For all his success, Atkinson believes he is just approaching the peak of his powers as a triathlete. “Age is one thing, and experience,” he said. “It might sound silly, as you get older and get the miles in your legs; the sport gets easier and easier. Every year you get a bigger base load of work under you the better you race,” said Atkinson. “As you get older you get a bit smarter and work out ways to get the best out of yourself."
