Whanganui teenage triathlete Hunter Gibson has completed a gruelling journey to make the New Zealand age-group short distance team for the World Championships in Canada in August.
The Whanganui Collegiate School 15-year-old put a full year of hard work on the line in an attempt to make the New Zealand team at the final qualifying event in Mt Maunganui on a triathlon calendar cut short by the Covid-19 lockdown.
Gibson's build-up for the season had been going well after travelling the length of the country between November and March.
The journey culminated in a creditable bronze medal at the New Zealand Secondary Schools Triathlon Championships in the U16 boys' division in Wanaka on February 16. In the lead-up to the NZSS, Gibson had picked up silvers in both Taupo and Lyttelton.
After his success at NZSS, Gibson set his sights on a New Zealand sprint champs qualifier in New Plymouth at the end of March to have the chance of qualifying for a New Zealand tri team age-group spot for the worlds in Edmonton, Canada, in August.