‘Grande’ effort from triathlete Purtell in Italy

THE town of Orosei in Sardinia, Italy will always have fond memories for Southbroom triathlete Darryn Purtell (24).

It was here that he won a silver medal in his age group at the recent World X-Tri Triathlon.

While people in the sport know Darryn is a huge talent, those outside of it may not have realised it just yet.

However, the result surprised him.

“I wasn’t really sure what the competition would be capable of. Plus I was racing overseas for the first time,” he said.

He put in a great swim and run, and suddenly found himself in contention for the gold medal.

It didn’t quite work out, but he was still thrilled with his silver medal nonetheless.

Darryn is one of the most laid-back characters you’ll find in sport. Not much seems to faze him.

But even he admitted to some race-day nerves.

They soon settled and he said he was glad he had had the opportunity to race against the best in the world.

Darryn explained that racing in Italy had been fun, and that the actual race route wasn’t too different from back home in South Africa.

“I think growing up on the South Coast and racing in events around South Africa prepared me well for any type of track they could throw at us. Being in Europe and experiencing the sights and sounds and the people there was an amazing experience and as a team we had a lot of fun,” he said.

On the mental side of things, Darryn explained his approach as one where he tried to simplify things and not overthink.

“I did get a bit nervous before this one, but when I get nervous I try to think about other facets of the race to take my mind off what is making me nervous. I try keep my thought processes to a minimum, like what my dad says about golf – you don’t have to be brain-dead to play but it helps! It’s very similar in racing.”

His father Gary was particularly impressed with the efforts of his son. “Pretty good if you ask me. Now he just has to pass his finals!” he quipped.

Darryn would like that very much too, and so the Varsity College student will be knuckling down to some serious B Com studies in the next weeks.

It’s probably fair to say that studies are getting in the way of his sport.

He’ll be competing at the Lake Eland Classic this weekend, then the Berg to Bush the following weekend with his cousin Hayley Smith, herself a rising star.

After that the pair will compete in the Bitter Sweet Challenge in Scottburgh.

In between all this there are exams to write, hence his father’s concern.

He needn’t worry, as Purtell Jnr is getting up at 3.30am every day to fit everything into his schedule. His commitment to success is impressive.

Darryn thanked all those who helped him get to Italy. “I don’t have large sponsorship backing so my parents assisted me. There were other generous individuals who made donations and for that I am very grateful,” he said.

Looking ahead, he would love to compete full-time, which would help him get overseas more often.

He could prove to be a fantastic prospect for a sponsor looking to invest…