Black Tie and Years Gone By

Saturday night held a soiree of tie-wearing significance. Not vestments I am traditionally comfortable or familiar with, however my attires discombobulation was well warranted to attend the Queensland Academy of Sport (or QAS for the acronymicly inclined) 20th anniversary awards dinner. Highlighted with more dazzling luminaries than the Northern Lights, the room oozed excellence, and I was a sponge, desperate to soak up the burgeoning brilliance rife in such a cohort, rubbing shoulders with Queensland superstars such as Sally Pearson, Steph Rice and triathlon’s own Emma Snowsill. 

Given that my day had entailed 5 hours on the bike and a run in the arvo, I was equally excited to see both the food, and the top 10 QAS athletes of the decade, presented for us to savor. Once I had cleaned the food scraps of my plate, face, and the neighboring gentleman’s suit, I listened with slightly more vigor, as one does not pass the opportunity to heed advice given by wise heads, whose necks have strained with the enviable burden of Olympic gold.  

Aside from the aforementioned Snowy, repping for the triathlon coterie was QAS coach Steve Moss, and training partners Sam Betten and Emma Jackson, who herself has picked up enough gongs this year to make her own Kung Fu movie soundtrack. Attached is a snapshot of the occasion, featuring the newly anointed Top 10 QAS athletes of the decade. In other awards, Sally Pearson won Athlete of the Year, and I was narrowly beaten for the ‘Worst Mo Grown By A Blogging Triathlete Award’. Next year then. 

Take care friends,

Willy