Name: Shai O’Brien
Occupation: student at Deakin University Melbourne studying Nursing/midwifery
Years in triathlon: 3rd year
Interests other than triathlon: travelling, movies and hanging out with friends
Favourite TV show: Grey’s Anatomy and the Vampire Diaries
Most embarrassing Tri moment: In an Xosize race in Melbourne I wasn’t concentrating and accidently rode into transition lane when I still had a lap to go, tried to ride out through the witch hats and ended up crashing into one, managed to stay on my bike after the witch hat flew up in front of me! Everybody laughed, but I didn’t crash!
Pet hate (doesn’t have to be trii related): Toilet door being left open
Favourite food: Smoothies and Asian food
Greatest moment in triathlon: 4th Aus youth championships, Geelong 5150
Name 3 dream party guests (living or dead): Taylor Swift, Liz Blatchford and Zac Efron
Do you, or have you played any other sports?: Cross country, Netball, Water Polo, basketball and swimming
Favourite band/music: Taylor Swift; Coldplay
Do you have a hidden talent?: cooking and massages
What was the last movie you saw?: The DUFF
Favourite leg in triathlon: The run or ride – it depends on the race.
Do you have any big races coming up?: Great Ocean road half marathon
With winter (2015) coming on, what are your training plans? Recently moved to Melbourne, still training under David Meade and Jarrod Draper with PreComp Tri, hoping to have a really good winter of training and will race a few half marathons and build my swim up, now swimming under John Van Wisse. Hoping to get back quite a bit to ride with the crew 🙂
What are your goals for the 2015/16 season? Further moving into long course away from ITU, hopefully will race Sunshine Coast 70.3 or Challenge Shepparton, depends how I go.
Do you have a Coach? Coaches are David Meade and Jarrod Draper
Favorite tri distance? Started racing Olympic this season and I love that distance now.
If you could change one thing what would it be?
a) locally in tri? I think the club does a fantastic job, I would love to see some numbers over winter to maybe get some duathlons going!
b) tri in general? I love triathlon for what it is, maybe some more development program’s especially for rural athletes and more hilly bike courses
c) locally in Bendigo (not tri related)? I would like to see the health and fitness of locals improve, there are so many opportunities, maybe instalment of exercise equipment along paths or something.