Schofields pushing for Games berths
Sydney University Athletic Club’s Jayden and Luke Schofield turned in solid performances at the 30th running of the Mooloolaba Triathlon in Queensland on the weekend.
Jayden came home in 5th place in 01:47:22 with his twin brother Luke finishing 9th in 01:50:01. The event was won by archrival Lorcan Redmond, who completed the 1.5km swim, 40km ride and 10km run in and around Mooloolaba in 01:45:53. Luke Bate finished 2nd in 01:46:38, while Luke Willian finished 3rd in 01:46:51. SUAC’s other representative Connor Whiteley finished 23rd in 02:00:53
It was a similar result to the Under 23 Australian Triathlon Championships at Devonport last month when the Schofield twins finished second and fourth behind Redmond.
The Australian Championships and the Mooloolaba Triathlon also incorporated the Oceania title and served as a solid lead-up for selection at the 2022 Commonwealth Games to be held in Birmingham from 28 July to 8 August.
Luke and Jayden, who are on the Sydney University Sport and Fitness Elite Athlete Program, are known on the triathlon circuit as the dead heat duo, having often finished equal first in events, though it’s never been planned.
The identical twins started competing in the multi-discipline event during their last three years at Sydney Boys’ High School and if they found themselves pushing each other at the end of the running leg they sometimes breasted the tape together.
“It’s not something we plan,” Luke says. “It’s happened about 20 times, but mostly when we were in high school events. We train together and have friendly rivalry. We have the same genetics and similar ability so if a race comes down to us battling it out, we sometimes finish together and enjoy the moment.”
Luke and Jayden are in the final year of combined Engineering and Science degrees and earning distinctions despite their busy schedule of training and competing in triathlons.
