Member Spotlight - Chelsea

For Chelsea, sport is more than competition — it’s about purpose, connection, and personal growth. From transitioning out of elite rowing to discovering triathlon and guiding blind athletes, her journey is shaped by resilience, inclusivity, and the pursuit of happiness. Whether she’s teaching in the classroom, training with friends, or chasing big race goals, Chelsea is driven by a desire to become the healthiest, happiest version of herself while inspiring others along the way.

1. What is your favourite LAB value and why?

I love all the LAB values, but the one that really sticks with me is pursue your happy. As someone who has struggled with mental health over the years, the idea of doing something that makes you happy just feels right. As a former high-performance lightweight rower, I often found myself doing things because I “had to,” regardless of how they made me feel. But when you pursue your happy, you’re truly putting yourself first and getting a lot more out of whatever it is you’re doing. There’s a reason why Pete and I are wearing the Pursue Your Happy caps for the London Marathon!



2. Can you tell us a bit about yourself and how you first got into triathlon?

I’m a primary school teacher and absolutely love what I do and the students I work with. My heart lies in special education and making schools more inclusive for children with disabilities. I use exercise as a way to decompress after school days. It’s also a great way for me to set myself up for a successful day with my class. 

I got into triathlon purely by chance. I was in a rut with rowing and looking for the “next thing,” which felt extremely daunting because I’d been a rower for 10+ years. I was on FaceTime with my brothers in the UK and mentioned that I wasn’t loving rowing anymore but wasn’t sure what to do. My older brother reminded me that my late father had always spoken to me about triathlons and Ironman.

A year later, at his wedding, he brought up in his speech that I still hadn’t done an Ironman yet—and that was all I needed. I entered Ironman Cairns the next morning and never looked back. He knew that on my own I wouldn’t enter and gave me the push I needed.



3. You compete in triathlon and also guide blind athletes — how did you first get involved in guiding?

Call it fate, call it pure luck—but I was sitting in my single scull on the river one Sunday morning and noticed a group of runners in yellow running along the river. I yelled to my coach to find out what they were doing. He went over to speak to them, and when I got off the water, he told me they were called Achilles.

I got home, did some research, and discovered the fantastic club Achilles Melbourne. The next Sunday, I skipped rowing training and went down to Achilles—and I’ve spent almost every Sunday there ever since. I never officially retired from rowing, but I think once they saw me in yellow along the river a few times, they knew I wasn’t coming back.

Through Achilles, I’ve made lifelong friends, raced around the country and the world, and even encouraged others to volunteer and join. Achilles is the best running club in Melbourne—it’s a place of inclusion, acceptance, resilience, trust, and mutual respect. Joining Achilles is the best thing I’ve ever done.



4. What has been one of your most memorable moments in triathlon so far — either racing yourself or guiding?

I really want to say crossing the finish line at my first Ironman in Cairns in 2024, but I think it has to be any finish line I’ve crossed with Peter Edwards from Achilles.

When we did our first 2XU sprint race, I went from not knowing how to ride a tandem—let alone do a U-turn on one—to completing our first Olympic-distance triathlon just a few weeks later. There was something very special about crossing that finish line with Pete. We trained together as much as we could during the summer holidays, from tandem rides to tethered swims. The finish line was amazing, but the moments of training in between were the real highlights for me. There’s something incredibly special about getting to train for a triathlon with your best friend.

The next one hasn’t happened yet, so I’m fully manifesting it. In a few weeks, I’m guiding at the London Marathon, and for the first time in over 16 years, my family will be there to watch me race. The last time they watched me race, I was a little girl competing in the London Mini Marathon. My dad was there, cheering opposite Buckingham Palace, so it feels like a full-circle moment.

It will be my first finish line as an adult where I get to embrace my mum and brothers, and the thought of having them all there makes me so happy and excited. Knowing that Pete and I will finish the iconic race and then go to my family is a real pinch-me moment—because little Chelsea always dreamed of having them all there again. Definitely a core memory loading.

5. What motivates you to keep training and competing?

I grew up training and competing, so I can’t imagine my life without it. I’m not afraid of the grind—and I think I sometimes even prefer training to racing.

I think everyone has their “why,” and for a while I wasn’t sure what mine was—but recently, I think I’ve found it. I train and compete because I want to be the healthiest, strongest, and happiest version of myself. I want to prove to myself and those around me that I’m capable of hard things—and if I say I’m doing something, you’d better believe I’m doing it.

I also want the young girls I teach to know that they are enough—that their bodies are incredible and shouldn’t be starved or changed. I want the young people around me to feel like nothing is impossible. 



6. What goals are you working toward in the next few years — both in triathlon and beyond?

A huge goal for me is qualifying for Kona. I’m not entirely sure if it’s achievable, but I’ll shoot for the stars and maybe land on the moon. I’d also love to do a home Ironman in South Africa and have my eye on two major ultra runs there: Two Oceans and Comrades.

I had a very busy 2025 with too many races, so I’m planning to keep things simple and focus on one race at a time each year. I’ve signed up to swim the Winter Rip in July, and after that things are looking relaxed. My goal is to continue having fun in the sport of triathlon while enjoying some side quests along the way. I want to be that person on race day who is having the most fun and truly soaking up the atmosphere.

I’m currently learning Auslan, so I’d love to be fluent in the next few years and then transition back into special education. I’d also love to channel the pursue your happy value and reclaim my love for rowing—whether that’s just hopping in a boat with friends and enjoying the moment, rather than obsessing over the numbers. I picture myself in a boat in the near future with my pursue your happy cap on and just taking in the moment on the water.