Flame flickers as Day chases six-and-out ironman finish
Murray Wenzel |
Ali Day will squeeze what’s left of the competitive juices in his professional ironman farewell, fully aware how rare fairytale sporting finishes can be.
The 35-year-old will chase a sixth Iron Series title this weekend at Miami’s series final.
The top 16 men and women will race on Saturday before the slowest four are cut ahead of Sunday’s winner-takes-all title race.
The 11-time Coolangatta Gold champion is pursuing a new career as a firefighter but says there is a flame still burning ahead of one last hurrah at his home beach.
“There’s been moments this year … finishing 18th in Maroubra, probably my worst ever result and thought, ‘It’s time’,” he told AAP.
“But then I was second last weekend … there’s still a bit of fire and I want to compete and I’ll use that on the weekend to jag a win.
“I also don’t feel like I’ve got anything to prove any more.”
Day won this season’s new-look Coolangatta Gold and, after another win in Newcastle in December, arrives at the series final level in first place on points with emerging star Ethan Callaghan.
“It’s familiar territory, to be still up at the pointy end and the fear was ‘how long do I go on for?,” Day said.
“I take a lot of motivation, and gives me a lift, being able to race these young guys.
“I don’t feel pressure or nerves, it’s just excitement and who knows, Callaghan could be the future Shannon Eckstein.”
A Callaghan win would be poetic, considering it was Day who trumped Eckstein – an eight-time national champion and nine-time Iron Series champion – in his 2019 farewell.
So Day will soak up the experience and prepare for the next chapter.
“Everyone says it goes quickly and I knew I was retiring at 35 but it’s crazy how it’s now staring me in the face,” he said.
“There’s a column on the left with three or four things I won’t miss … injuries, time away from family, how selfish you have to be to devote so much time to training.
“But on the other side there’s 100 things I’ll miss, doing a job you wouldn’t have thought you’d ever get to do.”
Lucy Derbyshire and Carla Papac will be the women to beat after standout campaigns.
AAP
