Harding and Wood prove age is but a number at Abu Dhabi triathlon

Matt Jones - Editor 09:53 08/03/2015
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  • Amber Harding takes to the bike.

    Some of the shining lights of the triathlon world were on show yesterday, but it was two competitors at very different ends of the age spectrum that truly dazzled in the Abu Dhabi sunshine.

    As reigning ITU World Triathlon Series’ champions Javier Gomez and Gwen Jorgensen were getting their seasons underway, Amber Harding and Douglas Wood are in the infancy and twilight of their respective triathlon careers.

    Al Yasmina School pupil Harding is only 15, but sauntered to an easy win in the female U16-U18 Sprint category, finishing over 10 minutes ahead of her nearest rival.

    The teenager’s triumph – finishing in one hour, nine minutes, 30 seconds, was also good enough to claim fifth best female overall and 43rd out of 534 total male and female finishers.

    Not bad for someone who ran her first triathlon at last year’s event.

    “I did my first triathlon last year. I do a lot of running so it was something different,” Harding told Sport360°. “I took to it well and have competed in quite a lot [of events] over the last year. I still run because it’s good practice for the triathlons.”

    Harding has been living with her family in the UAE for 18 months but is originally from Cardiff, Wales. The teen said she has lofty ambitions of representing Great Britain at the Olympic Games in the future.

    “I definitely want to be an Olympian for Team GB one day,” she said. “I also hope I can return here as an Elite athlete in a few years. I want to keep on improving and be on the line with them.”

    Mum Rachel added: “Amber’s extremely dedicated and gets up early to go swimming most mornings. She works very hard and also has to fit in schoolwork.

    “She’s got her GCSE’s next year but she’s trying to catch up with those Brownlee boys.”

    At 68 years old, some would say Wood is nearing the end of his athletic days, but the Scotsman posted a no less impressive time of one hour, 19 minutes, 17 seconds in the Sprint race.

    “I’ve always been a runner but it takes its toll on your legs so I took up triathlon about 20 years ago,” said the retired university registrar, who competed in the event while fitting in a visit to see his daughter, Kirsten.

    “It’s my fifth time doing the Abu Dhabi Triathlon. I’m keen on doing triathlons back in Scotland but it’s always nice to do one in another country, and it’s snowing back home at the moment so it’s a nice change of scenery.”

    Retirement has given Wood an opportunity to travel with his passion for competing, and he has appeared at age group events across the globe, including Canada, China, New Zealand and Europe.

    His wife Chris also worked as a volunteer at the Abu Dhabi event.

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