In Conversation with Sharron Davies

Olympic medallist Sharron Davies MBE presented awards at this year’s Flight Centre Schools Triathlon. Here the former competitive swimmer tells us she still loves to take a dip on holiday...

Flight Centre Schools Triathlon events are just incredible. They are all about encouraging young people to be physically active and to work as a team. It’s so important to get people into good habits early on, so they can have them for the rest of their lives. The triathlons are a great way to do that, while also being fun. 

I’ve been to Australia many times, but I’d never been to the Gold Coast before this year’s Commonwealth Games. The Games were amazing – the sports facilities were incredible. 

As a sportsperson, the Gold Coast lifestyle really suited me. You wake up, grab a coffee and get going early. Then at the end of the day, you’re early to bed. It’s such an amazing area, with beaches for miles in every direction. Everyone seemed to be on the beach by 6.30am!

I still train every day, but I have to be careful, as my shoulders are a little bit worn out from six hours of training a day for 20 years. I still love to swim when I’m on holiday, too. My training is gym-based, so I’m on a bike most days. If I’m watching TV and I haven’t been to the gym, I don’t feel like I deserve it. It’s a habit really, but a good one.

It’s easy to take part in a Flight Centre Schools Triathlon. Look out for details of next year’s events. They are open to children in school years 3 to 8 and raise money for Restless Development, a charity that helps young people around the world. Taking part is very rewarding, and if you’ve done it before, you can try again to improve your time! 

Experience the Gold Coast for yourself with our Gold Coast holiday itineraries. These holidays can all be tailor made to suit you and can include extra experiences or accommodation options in Australia.