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Snowsill wants part in Aussie triathlon 'reinvention'

3 minute read

Olympic triathlon champion Emma Snowsill wants a role in the national body's pursuit of what she sees as a "reinvention" targeting the 2032 Brisbane Games.

Olympic champion Emma Snowsill wants to be part of an Australian triathlon "reinvention" that culminates in Brisbane 2032 Games gold.

Australia will enter Los Angeles' 2028 Games without a medal in the sport since 2012, the world catching up to a nation that boasted a woman on the podium in the five previous Olympics.

"Australia set the benchmark for so long, others have been hunting us down and that's something to be proud of but it does require reinvention," Snowsill told AAP head of Noosa Triathlon commentary duties on Sunday.

"How do we get back to that place again?"

Aus Triathlon last week appointed Shaun Stephens as new high performance director, Snowsill's former mentor boasting three decades of experience in triathlon, cycling and paddling.

"I couldn't tell you how important he was to my career," the 43-year-old said.

"I was really pushing him to apply for the job. We can't push replay, but we can draw on what worked and capitalise on what we did well and draw in better people to facilitate it.

"I'd like to play some sort of role if I can, in any shape or form.

"I have such an interest in an Australian win (Olympic) gold in Brisbane; there's just no better goal and I have my eyes on people I'd love to see there and how we help shape them.

"Shaun's a good connector ... you're not there to always make friends. It's to make people work to the best of their ability and no one person knows everything."

The professional triathlon landscape has changed dramatically in recent years.

Privately-backed global middle distance racing like the T100 has drawn the likes of two-time Olympian and 10-time Noosa Triathlon winner Ashleigh Gentle away from the shorter Olympic-distance competition.

Gentle has relished the move and Snowsill, a five-time winner at Noosa, lauded Gentle's resilience, maturity and ruthlessness as she chases a 10th-straight and 11th title in total.

Snowsill is confident the country's Olympic endeavours aren't diluting though, the veteran already busy earmarking her 2032 prospects.

Matt Hauser's seventh place in Paris and Olympic teammate Luke Willan's sixth-placed finish in the World Triathlon Championship are the live hopes leading the push to LA.

"This year ignited that fire for me," returning 2021 Noosa champion Willan told AAP.

"Paris qualification was down to the wire and I would have been in an office job if I didn't go, then of course it was my worst day of the year.

"Dragged under in the swim and fighting at the back all day ... but to finish sixth in the world, I know I deserve to be there and I have that hunger for LA now.

"Matt's been leading from the front and now I'm up there and we just have to keep pushing each other."

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