MARATHON EFFORT: Sophie Mebalds is heading for Perth and the kayak world championships.By ED MERRISON
AN EMERALD kayaker has paddled her way into the Australian team for the world championships in Perth.
Sophie Mebalds, a firstyear student in exercise science at the Australian Catholic University, was 18 in 2003 when she competed in Spain with the Australian junior marathon kayak team.
And during Easter, 2005, Ms Mebalds performed impressively at the Australian Marathon Kayak Championships, in Penrith, earning third place in the single kayak event and second in the kayak doubles.
“I was pretty surprised at my results, as it’s my first year racing in open events,” Ms Mebalds said.
Now the form that saw her achieve success in Penrith has propelled Ms Mebalds into the senior Australian team at October’s World Championships, an achievement Ms Mebalds counts as her greatest to date.
Ms Mebalds’ undergraduate course at ACU will take three years, after which she hopes to do a year’s postgraduate study in exercise rehabilitation.
However, studying hard at the university’s Melbourne campus will not get in the way of Ms Mebalds’ determination to compete at the highest level.
“The course is constructed to take care of athletes, so they’re generally really good about taking time off,” Ms Mebalds said.
A good thing, too, since preparation for the gruelling 28kilometre world championship course will require plenty of time for training.
“I usually paddle on the Yarra about four or five times a week, do three sessions in the gym and do a couple of runs, as well as doing triathlon as part of our studies,” she said.
According to Ms Mebalds, the European countries will be the main contenders in Perth, but she for one will not shy away from a marathon struggle.
“I like the challenge of being able to paddle for that long and using different tactics. You’ve got to have real mental toughness and you’ve got to really, really want to win,” she said.
