Hey Bella, why did you join Bayside Tri Club and what do you like about it so far?
My long-time friend Meg Fisher convinced me to come along to the ‘try a tri’ day. Everyone I’ve met has been ridiculously welcoming, supportive and accommodating! I also love the community vibe at Bayside.
Thanks again Meg – she’s single-handedly bringing the average age of Bayside Tri Club down! 😉
What age group are you in?
I’m 24 so whatever age group that puts me in, haha.
The “youthful energy and things aren’t falling apart yet” bracket 😊
What inspired you to give triathlon a go?
I recently retired from footy and needed a new way to stay fit. I’ve always loved running, and I used to swim competitively, so I thought…why not? I’m the Women’s Coordinator and Vice-VAFA President at my footy club, St Bedes/Mentone Tigers. I’ve played with them for the past 8 years, but I got a pretty bad concussion last year that took me 7 months to recover from, so sadly I’ve decided to hang up the boots!
Sorry to hear it ☹ But lucky for us too 😊
What’s been your proudest triathlon moment so far?
Definitely completing my first tri! It was without a doubt the hardest thing I’ve ever done – but also super rewarding.
Congratulations! And I hear that off the back of that you’ve signed up for Melbourne 70.3?! Tell us about that!
Yes!!! I’m super-duper excited. I love the variety of tri training, and I wanted to take it to the next level. I was watching Ironman TikToks late at night and thought, “oh yeah, that looks fun!” ...So, here we are!
Ha ha – nothing like a midnight TikTok spiral to land you in a half Ironman. Any other sporting achievements you’re proud of?
I’ve been involved in sport my whole life, from gymnastics to ballet, to windsurfing and sailing, to footy, basketball, running...But my favourite moment was winning the Grand Final with my footy team. Nothing beats sharing that win with your best mates!
Amazing! Any other sporting aspirations?
Just to finish Melbourne 70.3! It’s going to be really tough, but I love pushing myself to the limits and seeing what my body can do!
Have you had a race stuff-up yet?
Oh yeah. My one and only tri was the 2XU Sandringham race – my transitions were a bit of a shambles, and I came out of the swim totally disoriented, no clue where to go! 😂
Ha ha! We’ll have to run another transition practice session before your big race!
What’s your go-to post-race/game indulgence?
COFFEEEE! Or I love heading to my friend Nina’s café in Sandringham for a big breaky feed!
Hope Nina gives you a discount 😊
What would you want waiting at the finish line (besides water and a medal)?
My friends and family! Nothing beats seeing them cheer you on.
Hmm, except a free towel – wait until you finish Melbourne 70.3! 😊
If triathlon had a theme song just for you?
Time of Our Lives by Pitbull. I love Pitbull so much, all his songs are so uplifting, and I love his accent haha.
What would you sing at karaoke?
Oh, I don’t do karaoke. But I do know every lyric to every Pitbull song, so probably one of those 😂
Well get practising…the end of season karaoke night is coming up!
Swim, bike or run — which one would you marry, which one would you date, and which one would you ghost?
Marry swim, date run and ghost the bike. Still learning how to ride, so yeah…
If triathlon was your dating profile, what would it say?
Triathlon IS on my dating profile! The caption is “my uniform”. I’m slightly ashamed.
No shame here. What else do you do for fun, apart from trying to get a date 😉
I love dancing, hanging with friends, and running with them too. It’s the only time where you can be 100% present with them without distractions like phones and you’re able to chat to each other and encourage one another!
What do you do outside of sport?
I’m in my final year of my nursing degree! It’s going well but I’m so excited to finish and start working as a registered nurse – I’m hoping to go into Emergency nursing, or ICU. Currently, I work as a disability support worker, which I love. I’m so lucky and grateful to hang out with awesome people!
Sounds fab! Who’s your greatest supporter?
My best friends, Maddi and Britti. Maddi and I have been inseparable since Year 3, and Britti is basically human sunshine. They’re both footy guns and amazing triathletes – I’m lucky to have them in my corner.
Aww.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
“A problem shared is a problem halved”. Growing up I struggled quite a lot with my mental health – chronic people pleasing led me to keep my thoughts and problems to myself, but over time I’ve learnt to lean on those closest to me for support. In the wise words of Dr Suess, “Those who matter don’t mind, and those who mind don’t matter”.
Absolutely 😊 What’s your hidden talent?
Skiing!! I lived near Mount Hotham when I was 15 and learned how to ski and cross-country ski at a leadership school in Dinner Plain.
You’ll have to come to Bright camp in December – we cycle up Mount Hotham… “for fun”!
What else should we know about you?
I’m a massive foodie – Greek, Turkish, Indian, you name it. If it has butter and salt, I’m in. It won’t be good for the arteries in the long run but that’s why I like to keep myself as fit as possible… to enjoy life and all that it has to offer!
Thanks for joining us, Bella! It’s great to have you in the club, we look forward to hearing you sing Pitbull soon, and to watching you ace your first 70.3 later this year 😊
