A Victoria Point triathlete has teamed up with a vision impaired sporting star to win silver for Australia at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.
Luke Harvey made his Commonwealth Games debut as the guide for Sam Harding in the men's Para-triathlon vision impaired event.
Tied together with a homemade tether, the duo raced through the 750m swim, 20km tandem cycle and 5km run event at Sutton Park, north of Birmingham.
The pair finished just 4.30 minutes behind English winners David Ellis and guide Luke Polard, and fellow Australians Jonathan Goerlach and his guide David Mainwaring finished in third.
Redlands born and bred Harvey met Canberra athlete Harding on their way to their race, and after just one week of getting to know each other the pair became an unstoppable team, winning the Oceania Championships in Devonport this year.
Harvey's proud grandmother Jacqueline Lonie said the duo had continued to win races together since their first meeting.
"He was asked by Triathlon Australia in February if he could be a guide for Sam," Ms Lonie said.
"They met at the airport in Melbourne and flew to Tasmania. They made their own tether to use in their races and then they stared competing.
"They won their first race and they have been winning, and then they were chosen for the Commonwealth games.
"I'm so proud of him, as a kid, all he ever wanted to do was play sports."
It is only the second time para-triathlon sport has been on the Games program and is the debut for visually impaired Para-triathletes.
Ms Lonie said she was surrounded by friends and family who supported her grandson from afar.
She has been her grandson's biggest fan since his first triathlon at home in Raby Bay at 11-years-old.
The now 22-year-old found his passion for the sport with the Sharks Triathlon Club, of which he has been a long-time member.As well as running with Harding as a guide, Harvey also competes solo in his own triathlons.
He has represented Queensland and Australia in State and National competitions, and in 2017 was crowned 16-19 Age Group World Triathlon Sprint Champion (Rotterdam).
In 2018 he defended his world title on the Gold Coast and and was crowned Australian Junior Male Champion for the 2018/19 triathlon season.
Emily Lowe
Redland City Bulletin journalist covering community, politics, crime and human interest stories. Griffith University Alumni.
Redland City Bulletin journalist covering community, politics, crime and human interest stories. Griffith University Alumni.
