Tim Reed

Australia's Tim Reed has been winning 70.3 races for a decade but shows no signs of slowing down.

His first victory came at 70.3 Canberra in 2011, fittingly the scene of his first-ever pro race a few years earlier.

In between, he had racked up plenty of wins at Olympic distance, but the middle distance has proved his forte. He has crossed the line in front every single year, right up to win number 20 at 70.3 Cebu at the end of 2019.

The undoubted highlight in that remarkable sequence was his win at the 70.3 World Championship in 2016 in Mooloolaba, the first time it had been held in the Southern Hemisphere.

Home support proved critical as Reed just got the better of an epic duel with German legend and twice former champion Sebastian Kienle.

A thrilling race had seen no fewer than 14 men within 40 seconds of each other at T2. But by midway in the half marathon, it had boiled down to just the two of them.

Kienle powered into a 30-metre lead at one point, but it was Reed who dug deepest on the downhill sprint to the finish, crossing the line two seconds ahead.

"Full credit to Seb, he broke me a few times, but with this amazing crowd I was able to fight back, and I owe it to them," he said afterwards. "I can't believe it. This is something I have only ever dreamed about."

That success rounded off the most memorable year of his career so far as Reed had also won his first full-distance race at IRONMAN Australia.

That too was dramatic in its own way as Clayton Fettell had led by more than eight minutes after the bike leg. Reed cut down his advantage rapidly in the marathon though, eventually winning by over five minutes.

Tim showed he was as good, if not better, at the same race in 2019. He produced what he called his "best IRONMAN performance to date" with a time of 8:09:50, more than seven minutes quicker than 2016, though this time was still only good enough for second place behind Cameron Wurf.

Tim's coaching has also been in high demand, and he has enjoyed such success in that sphere that he now regularly races those who have worked under him, such as fellow Aussie Sam Appleton.