NATIONAL TALENT & IDENTIFICATION PROGRAM

Triathlon Australia (TA) is on the lookout for the next generation of elite triathletes as part of a unique talent identification and development program announced.

Australian triathletes have had outstanding success over the past few years, including two gold and one bronze medals at the 2006Melbourne Commonwealth Games, four out of a possible six medals at the 2005 World Triathlon Championships in Japan, a gold and bronze medal at the 2006 World Triathlon Championships in Lausanne and ten World Cup wins last year.

"The National Talent Identification and Development (NTID) program, funded by the Australian Government through Australian Sports Commission, will allow Triathlon Australia to search for the next Emma Snowsill, Loretta Harrop, Peter Robertson or Brad Kahlefeldt," Davoren said.   The primary focus of the program is to find and develop the next generation of athletes with a view to competing in the London 2012 Olympics and beyond. The unique program - in partnership with the New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) and Queensland Academy of Sport (QAS) - will concentrate its resources in "hot spot" regions where identified regional NTID coaches will be looking at talent identification, talent search and talent transfer possibilities.

The NTID program will be headed up by TA National Development Coach, Craig Redman.

"TA is searching for kids who can run and swim and one area that will be focusing our attention on is in surf life saving," Redman.   "Surf life saving provides the ideal training background to produce world class triathletes such as Craig Walton and Courtney Atkinson" Redman said. Top women's surf swimmer Alee Sharp is another athlete to make a successful switch to triathlon. Sharp was identified as a potential elite triathlete and received an AIS Triathlon Scholarship at 25.   "While our success at the highest level has been very pleasing we can not afford to stop looking towards the future," Davoren said. "International triathlon is a tough sport and the rest of the world is catching up fast. We have a responsibility to find athletes with the right skill sets, mental toughness and ability to win medals at London Olympics".

Triathlon Australia have the following NTID "hot spot" regions

QAS

Warwick Daliziel (Brisbane)

Toby Coote (Sunshine Coast)

NSW

Aaron Lean (Newcastle)

Grant Giles (NSW North Coast)

Jamie Turner (Wollongong)

VIS

Jamie Rhodes (Melbourne)