‘Stuck fat’: Hauser’s inspiration in world title chase

Joanna Guelas | October 17, 2025

World No.1 Matt Hauser has ample inspiration close to home as he looks to become the first Australian in 15 years to win triathlon’s world championship series.

Hauser heads into the Wollongong final aiming to cap his career-best season with an emphatic victory against the world’s best on home soil.

Should Hauser triumph in Sunday’s race, he’ll join Emma Moffatt as the only Australian to win an Olympic-distance world title since the championship became a series in 2009.

Moffatt claimed the first two women’s series, while two-time Olympian Peter Robinson was the last Australian to win the one-off men’s world championship race in 2005.

Gold Coast local Hauser leads the men’s standings with the maximum 3000 points after snaring five podium finishes.

The 27-year-old, looking to bounce back from an eighth-placed finish at the last round in the Czech Republic, was rapt with teammate Richelle Hill’s eye-catching win on Thursday in the under-23 women’s world title race.

Hill, daughter of 2004 Olympian Rina Hill, timed her sprint finish masterfully in an intense top-three battle for the under-23 world crown.

It is a breakthrough result for Australian triathlon, with the elite women no longer a force in the world series or at the Olympics.

“All of us watching back here at home base had goosebumps watching Richelle cross the line,” Hauser said on Friday.

“It was a tussle from start to finish and a very tactical run.

“We saw a few of the other nations go off the front and try their hand, but Richelle stuck fat and believed in herself.

“That’s something we can all take into our racing on Sunday.”

Brazilian Miguel Hildago (2780 points) is second in the elite men’s standings behind Hauser, followed by Portugal’s Vilaca Vasco (2775).

German Henry Graf, who won the last round in the Czech Republic, sits fourth.

Luke Willian is the next best Australian man, ranked sixth in the standings.

Hauser is keeping an eye on the conditions for Sunday’s 1.5km swim, which is followed by a 40km cycle and 10km run.

“A few of the Europeans are a bit worried about the sharks out there, so if we can spin a few shark stories amongst the field, it might upset a few of their routines,” Hauser joked.

Feeling the pressure on Hauser ramp up, teammate Brandon Copeland – ranked No.30 – joshed about revealing the world No.1’s coping methods ahead of the series decider.

“He’ll be watching a lot of Young Sheldon, that’s one of his quirks,” Copeland said.

“He loves Pitch Perfect, but that’s just Matty – you take good with the bad. Don’t hold it against him.”

But Hauser, who finished seventh at the Paris Olympics, said he was relishing the added expectation of winning in front of home fans.

“I don’t want to rest on my laurels,” Hauser said.

“Being in this position now, being number one, I do have a target on my back, but I’m ready to accept that and race with the pressure and all that comes with that.

“We’ve got many supporters out there, which will be helping us along when the times get tough towards the back end of the two-hour race.”