ATTADALE-born teen Alec Davison says he will “smash it” at the Cross Triathlon World Championships in Canada in August.

The 15-year-old is in Year 11 at John Curtin High School and recently won the cross triathlon at the Junior National Championships in New South Wales.

“I don’t feel nervous, I am looking forward to taking it up a level and to race against new people and in a new country,” he says.

“I am going to take the opportunity and smash it!”

His love for triathlons began at the age of 12 when he joined the Fremantle Triathlon Club, and coach Stuart Durham took him under his wing.

• Alec Davison. Photo 
by 
Winkipop

Davison now does 10 to 12 training sessions a week, often getting up at 4:45am, preparing for the gruelling event that includes cross-country running, swimming and mountain biking.

The championships in Canada will be a family affair, with Davison’s parents competing in the 45-49 year old old category.

“Alec got us all involved and we thought we mine as well be part of it if we are going to drive and wait for him at his trainings, we love it, it is keeping the family together,” says mum, Melanie.

A friend of Davison committed suicide last year and he says he will try and honour his memory by doing well at the championships.

“There are two ways of looking at it: it has been really hard to get over, but he was completely results driven and made me want to give 110 per cent in everything I do,” he says.

“It is necessary to get more education out there and get communicating in the earlier stages of mental illness and not wait too long.”

Davison is keen to raise awareness of the The Kai Eardley Fund, a Fremantle-based Foundation that works with youth people struggling with mental illness.

For more information, or to make a donation, go to http://www.kai-fella.com.au/

by ANNA HAY