Tessa Walker: World Champion!
Our own Deputy Head Girl, Tessa Walker, is New Zealand’s latest world champion, winning the under-20 section of the World Duathlon Championships held in North Carolina, USA, early in October. The event comprised a 10km run, a 40km cycle and then another 10km run.
In winning the under-20 title, Tessa also beat all entrants in the 20 to 24-year-old section, so this is an amazing achievement.
Tessa was the youngest member of the New Zealand team that competed in North Carolina. She says she gained inspiration from elite athlete Sam Warriner, with whom she shared a motel room during the event. She says all the early starts really paid off, and despite being nervous at the start line she felt confident in her own ability, particularly her strength in cycling.
Tessa has set her sights on defending the title in Edinburgh next year. In the longer term, she aims to improve her swimming to be more competitive in triathlons. Her main goal, however, is to win an Olympic medal in road cycling. A world title at such a young age is a fantastic step in the right direction!