HALTON HILLS – Charlie Barnes is 85 years old and busy preparing for the 2022 World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships in Montréal.
The event runs June 24 to 26, with Barnes competing in the Sprint World Championships 85+ division, starting at 7:50am on June 25.
He will be racing four other competitors in his division. The course includes a 750 meter swim in the St. Lawrence River, a 20km bike and a 5km run.
This kind of competition is old hat for Barnes, who’s been competing in triathlons for about 25 years.
“My daughter got me started,” he said of the competitions, adding his niece has competed in them as well.
Triathlon – Charlie Barnes won the bronze medal in the 80 to 84 age group at the 2017 World Triathlon competition in Rotterdam, Netherlands. He’s heading to Montreal for the 2022 World Triathlon Sprint and Relay Championships later this month.
Barnes mostly races locally, although this will be his fourth international competition, having brought home a bronze medal at the 2017 World Triathlon event in the Netherlands.
He estimates he has completed close to 65 or 70 triathlon events, participating multiple times per year prior to the pandemic.
This will be his first race since 2019.
“It’s intimidating,” said Barnes of returning to the sport. “But it feels the same for all the other guys too.”
Barnes explained competing in triathlons requires a lot of coordination and different equipment – everything must be in order for the race.
He trains for the competition on his rural property near Eden Mills, swimming in his pond, and biking and running on countryside roads.
Barnes completes the equivalent of the triathlon course several times per week to prepare.
“This will be my last world triathlon,” said Barnes, adding the best advantage comes in competitions when one is the youngest in their age group. “My career is done, and I’ve had enough.”
He added he never thought he’d come to the point where he wasn’t looking forward to racing, but he may have arrived.
Barnes is hoping to bring home a gold medal from his final triathlon competition.
