Tristan 'weighting' for Masters test

North Lakes' Tristan Hill, pictured above, cannot ‘weight’ for next month’s Australian Masters Athletics National Championships.

The 41-year-old father of four is chasing a title which eluded him when the nationals were last held three years ago.

In 2019, Hill was runner-up in the men’s 35-40 years weight pentathlon (shot, javelin, discus, hammer, and 16kg weight throw).

The same year he also won the outdoor pentathlon (long jump, javelin, 200m, discus, 1500m) and men’s 35 years hammer at the Oceania Masters by more than 10 metres.

COVID forced the 2020 and 2021 masters championships to be cancelled, but it is back this year, at QSAC in Nathan from April 1-4.

Favourite

This time Hill, who runs Pain Free Fitness with wife Kathy at Dolphins Fitness and Aquatic Centre, in Kippa-Ring, is in the hammer and men’s 40-44 weight pentathlon.

He is currently ranked one in Australia in his age group for the hammer and weight throw and tops the world rankings in weight pentathlon, again for his age group.

Hill admitted he is likely to be a favourite going into the nationals at QSAC next month, but is wary of possible “dark horse” competitors.

The 'favourite' tag is supported by the fact hammer and weight throw use the same (hammer) technique – one of Hill’s strengths.

“I was a decathlete (10 events) when I was younger,” Hill said “and then had 10 years playing rugby union.

Training 

“I was introduced to the weight pentathlon in 2018 by a fellow competitor.

“Now I train most days and do throws a couple of times a week – mostly on my own, but I am a member of Queensland Masters Athletics.”

He was a player and strength and conditioning coach at Amatori Rugby, a professional union club in Sardinia which played in Italy’s Serie A league.

Hill has also been a strength and conditioning coach at Kelvin Grove State High School’s Soccer Excellence program and is a senior lecturer at FIA Fitnation.

In 2018 he started Pain Free Fitness, running a myotheraphy and remedial massage business which will be providing soft tissue therapy at the 2022 Masters Nationals.