GWM Ironman WA athletes in top form ahead of Busselton triathlon

Just two days out from Ironman Western Australia, the two athletes pinned to take the cake came together to predict the forecast for the event. Matt Burton and Kylie Simpson are both chasing gold, each at the high point of their careers. In a milestone moment off the track, Burton’s wife Kim gave birth to the couple’s first-child, Tom, earlier this week. A blessing in disguise as he was predicted to be born on race day. Though it is a very exciting time, the 33-year-old has turned all his focus to the race. “With racing it’s important not to get emotional when you race because you make irrational decisions. So I think that’s out of my out of my hands now, but it’s, it’s just it’s been a lovely week,” he said. “It was also a bit overwhelming. I think, given he was due on race day and came a few days early.” Following a second place finish in the 2019 event, the seasoned triathlete said he won’t let the pressure of winning stifle his performance. “I’ve been preparing for this for ages you know, it was third in 2018, second in 2019 so trajectory says when it’s right but you’ve got to go and do it,” he said. “Winning is great but as soon as you focus on results, it never happens. “It’s probably what happened to me, you know, it was 18 months since I’d raced, then went to Cairns mid-year, and nothing was there and then, you know, it’s probably taken me a while to find the race touch. But I think that in a home there’s always a hunger and a bandage that’s traveling just down the road doesn’t doesn’t really feel like a trip anymore.” A WA local, he said a home-town victory would be a massive honour. “It’s where I started [Busselton]. My first race in 2009, first Ironman, and then now I’ve raced running events, cycling events, short distance triathlons, I won the Olympic distance state championship, long course 70.3 state championship down here. I have a WA state record for the iron distance last summer here. But we’re going to go a lot faster. Whether or not that Sunday, we’ll find out. But yeah, it’s just, it’s great to be here,” he said. He said the key success, is commitment to your craft. “I think for anybody who aspires to take the sport further, you just have to persist,” he said. “All through COVID It was very easy for athletes, especially down in Australia and New Zealand, to just stop for a while and have a long rest. But it’s so important to get your finger on the pulse as an athlete and what we do, it’s to be like any workplace. If you drop the ball, you you’re gonna lose out at some point, so yeah, persistence is number one.” Despite this reputation, she showed no nerves ahead of the race. “That’s pressure that you put on yourself, and I’m excited to race. I think there’s always a level of pressure that athletes, you want to win. Yeah, I’d like that. But at the same time, you know, I have my knowledge. I love what I do,” she said. With only a few months between races, Simpson has retained a strict training schedule, saying an intense routine began almost six weeks ago. “We’re in the pool every morning for 90 minutes, two hours each morning, and then we’re getting some big bike rides in we’re doing up to five hours on the bike at a time. Some run specific run sets, where we’re doing 30 km’s in a session,” she said. In her first time out West, she said she will definitely be back again. “It’s absolutely amazing, stunning location... Unfortunately I’m flying back on Monday but I certainly will come back to Busselton to explore the area more and get down to Margaret River. It’s such a beautiful location and I can’t wait to get out their on Sunday.”