Tragedy

It has been a sad couple of days for the Triathlon Community here in Perth. What should have been a happy weekend worshipping at the temple of triathlon called Kona was for many destroyed in the worst way imaginable by the tragic passing of local triathlete Brynt McSwain.

Brynt was struck by a car on Saturday morning in what is currently being reported as a hit and run incident. Lots of statements have been made about the assumed sobriety of the driver, given that he refused a breath test, however, as  far as I am aware nothing official has been stated. Circumstances aside, the result is tragic enough without having to focus to much on the means. The fact that it was a hit and run makes what is a horrible event just a little bit worse, who would have thought that was possible.

I didn't know Brynt personally.  I know he worked on my bikes and I remember meeting him a couple of times at Churchill Cycles where he worked before becoming an Airport Firie. Like most of the triathlon population in Perth, I knew of him. Whether we knew the name because he was a good guy or a good racer (he was both), what has become apparent in the last couple of days is most of us who do this sport in this town knew of him. As a result his death has touched us all and shocked the entire community. Whether we knew him personally or in passing, I think we all had a moment of shocked silence when we heard the news sometime on Saturday.

Beyond the personal tragedy of Saturday's events, I suspect they have also made every triathlete who has heard the news sit up and really question why they do the sport. A friend of mine summed it up very well on Saturday afternoon, when he said "If it can happen to a man I know to be a responsible and competent bike handler and cyclist, then it makes me not particularly keen to ever get on my bike again". I know for myself I instantly started assessing all my cycle routes, I just couldn't help it. I would guess that nearly all of us thought something like, "It is just a sport, is it really worth it?"

I think the only reason any of us get on a bike is because deep down we believe that it can't happen to us. We are careful, we have lights, we ride sensibly etc. We will be okay. But the events of the weekend show that to be the myth it is.

Every time something like this happens you always have the twinge of doubt. But you push those doubts aside and reassure yourself that YOU will be fine and off you go. Those twinges have got stronger now that I have a family. When a tragedy like this hits close to home the twinge of doubt becomes fairly hard to ignore.

I know I will though, because I know that tomorrow morning I will be on the bike again. For today though I plan to feel that twinge pretty strongly and go home and hold my family.