Bailie makes case for selection
Ryan Bailie has strengthened his bid for a spot on the Australian team at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games after recording his best ever finish at a World Triathlon Series event in Auckland at the weekend.
The Bunbury triathlete crossed fifth in 1:55.59, just under two minutes slower than reigning International Triathlon Union world champion Javier Gomez.
In a frenetic conclusion to Sunday’s gruelling contest, Bailie finished just 10 seconds behind east coast training partner Aaron Royle in third.
Compatriot Dan Wilson finished fourth in 1:55:52 to complete Australia’s strongest ever showing in a WTS race.
“Last year I had a couple of top ten finishes and that was the goal again this time around so I definitely surprised myself, ” Bailie said.
The three Australian’s remained neck and neck for the duration of the race before Bailie fell away in a sprint to the finish.
“We didn’t plan on sticking together and even though I’ve trained with Aaron for years and competed with Dan many, many times I had to just block out who I was racing against and concentrate on trying to beat them, ” Bailie said.
“It was a bit of cat and mouse on the third lap of the run and then on the last lap it just turned into a flat out sprint.
“Aaron won the under-23 World Championships on the Auckland course in a sprint finish but I had never been in that position and I think that cost me a little bit.”
The Auckland WTS race was also the final selection trial for the Australian Commonwealth Games triathlon team and Bailie now faces an anxious wait to find out whether he has made the squad.
“One of the three spots is already taken by Aaron after he finished seventh in the ITU grand final last year but the other two are discretionary, ” he said.
“I didn’t leave anything on that course in Auckland so I feel like I’ve put my best foot forward and now the decision is in the selectors’ hands.
“Pulling on the Australian trisuit is always great but representing my country in a Commonwealth Games would be something special.”
Triathlon Australia will announce its final men’s and women’s Commonwealth Games squads on Friday, April 18.
Bailie will next race in the Cape Town leg of the World Triathlon Series at the end of the month.
