Sole triathlete has a clear goal

Sole Team Cook Islands triathlete Rangi Apera only has one thing on her mind to perform to the best of her ability at the Pacific Games triathlon competition.

The multi talented athlete has had huge support from the Cook Islands Triathlon Association and fellow triathletes Kelly Pick, Vanessa Palmer and Roland Neururer who were all ruled out of the team because they didnt meet the athlete eligibility criteria.

Despite being the only local triathlete Apera is thankful and grateful to her fellow triathletes whove continued to train with her as she prepared for the games.

We are still a team we still train as a team, says Apera.

Before taking up multisport 4 years ago, Apera first represented the Cook Islands at the 2001 Pacific Games on Norfolk Island as a netballer before making the national soccer squad the next year.

At the 2003 Pacific Games in Fiji Apera was part of the touch rugby squad and at the 2009 Pacific Mini Games she competed in the triathlon competition on home soil.

Apera says she got into triathlon as a way of losing weight.

In triathlon you swim, bike and run and I thought because of that I could lose weight faster from doing three disciplines in one go, laughs the now fit mum of one.

Looking ahead at the Pacific Games Apera is focused on beating 1 hour and 15 minutes over the half Olympic distance course in Noumea.

The sprint course includes a 750m swim, 20km bike and final 5km run.

Apera will leave for New Caledonia next week and will only be in Noumea for a few days where she will compete then return home.

Its going to be just business for me.