Experience Leads to Victory

The event saw Donna Gould from South Australia take the women’s title. Donna came from a running background with three Australian titles (10km, 1984-85 and 3km in 1983). She competed at the Los Angeles Olympics in 1984 in the 3000m, narrowly missing the final. She then went to the next Olympics as a cyclist competing (along with another Nepean Triathlon winner Liz Hepple) in the road race. Donna also placed 6th in the world at a 15km road race in 1985.

The male champion Marc Dragan (a former tennis pro), had been in the sport from the very first days and had just returned from retirement in the sport due to injury. His win made a statement to the new breed of triathletes that he was back! Marc had won the second ever Ironman Triathlon in Australia and the 2MMM event in 1985, held around Akuna Bay in Manly. Marc went onto to be a sports commentator for the televised triathlon events for a number of years.