Some stellar performances in the water, on the bike and in running shoes has seen Tauranga Triathlon Club teenager Hannah Knighton reach a major goal.
She has secured her place in the New Zealand Junior Triathlon team to compete at the ITU World Junior Elite Championships in Rotterdam, Netherlands, in September.
Knighton has also been selected into the High Performance Sport New Zealand Pathway to Podium Programme, a nationwide talent development programme helping emerging athletes and coaches be better prepared for the demands of a life in high-performance sport.
Hamilton-based Knighton has been trained by Tauranga coach Chris Willett for more than three years and spends most school holidays staying in Papamoa with her grandparents so that she can train with him and the Tauranga triathlon academy.
She also travels to Tauranga on Saturday afternoons to train with the group whenever possible.