“It is the hardest sport to win a CHS medal in and you only get three opportunities during your school years – under 14s, 16s and 19s,” Lee said.

He says the championships have grown in popularity over the years with well over 1000 competitors taking part.

Forster High school and Great Lakes College have been very successful over the years winning two individual gold medals (Brett Lee in the under16s and under19s) and four team medals over the years.

Some of Forster’s best athletes over the past 10 years have represented at these championships including Scott Jones, Hamish Graham, Ethan Whiteman, Reece Turner, Aaron Woolley and Brett Lee.

This year Lee is taking away some of the town’s most promising young athletes and for Mitchell Hamilton, Christopher Bryan and Jesses Johnson, it will be their first time.

Mitchell Hamilton (swimmer), Jake Schumacker (runner) and Christopher (cyclist) are an extremely strong team for the under 14 team event and this trio has previously represented as a team at CHS swimming and Cross Country Championships.

Jesse Johnson is also a strong triathlete who has represented at zone level in swimming and cross country and has the potential to do well.

In the individual championships Jake Schumacker and Grant Melzer could not be better prepared, both competeing at these championships for the second time.

Melzer recently took 18 minutes off his last year’s time at the Camden Haven triathlon, so he is looking forward to the challenge.

Schumacker, like Melzer, still has another year to go in his age group, but is an extremely talented athlete who is capable of upsetting his older opposition.