🏊♂️ If you were unaware of Joel Lange’s swimming background, you might have been a bit surprised to see the Kiwi consistency out of the pool at the pointy end of Oceania Super Sprint races on the Gold Coast a fortnight ago.
By that, we mean just about everyone at Runaway Bay was left nonplussed by the unheralded Kiwi who has quietly gone about fighting his way into the fringes of Team NZL high performance set-up.
That’s because very little was known about the 24-year-old British-raised and now Sydney-based lad until his breakout weekend on the Gold Coast, even though he’s been competing in triathlon since 2022.
Sure, Lange claimed U23 gold after finishing 6th overall in the elite men’s aquathlon at last August’s World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Townsville. But the gulf between what is primarily an age-group met and a fully-fledged elite continental championships is something else.
So for the now world No. 330 (and counting) to not only feature in the Gold Coast Performance Centre pool, his natural habitat, but also make it all the way to the 12-man A-Final, was nothing short of eye-catching.
He eventually finished at the tail end of the A decider but was only beaten only by the vastly more experienced bronze medallist Saxon Morgan, 4th placed James Corbett and Sam Parry in 11th of the Kiwi males racing on the GC.
“The Gold Coast race felt like a significant breakthrough, leading every swim and making the A final, and being the 4th Kiwi across the line was a brilliant way to start this new chapter in Oceania,” Lange told SBR-Tri.com.
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2025 Asia Triathlon Cup Lianyungang
Elite Men – 1pm NZT
Joel Lange
Robbie White
Will Taylor
Elite Women – 2:30pm
Amara Rae
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The apprenticeship continues on Saturday when Lange lines up alongside Robbie White, Will Taylor and women’s hope Amara Rae at Asia Triathlon Cup Lianyungang. The race in China will be his first over the standard distance of 1500m / 40km / 10km, another stage and step up triathlon’s global pecking order.
“Building on the momentum of the Oceania Super Sprint, I’m heading into this weekend’s race with a real sense of confidence. It’s my first Olympic distance event, and I’m really eager to see what I can put together over the longer format.
“My personal goal is to beat my start number. I always find that to be a great benchmark.”
For the record, Lange’s ranking is 24th of a whopping 71 starters. Another interesting statistic? His time of 2:24.06 to claim the silver medal in the U16 boys British breaststroke championships. Before that there were 1500m and 50m U15 titles.
“I stopped swimming as I came into senior racing and my triathlon journey officially kicked off in 2022 while I was studying at Stirling University. It’s the national centre of triathlon in Scotland and I was training as an international athlete,” Lange explains.
“Now, as a triathlete, the focus in training has been heavily on building bike power. I’m definitely hoping for a nice swim-bike breakaway this weekend.”
Lange’s mother, Kirsty, is British and his father Matt a Kiwi, giving him the passport to race for Team NZL.
“I’ve been a UK resident my whole life, but recently made the move to Sydney which has been exciting. It’s put me right in the heart of the action for New Zealand and Oceania races.
“The decision to race for New Zealand felt like the most natural fit; I felt a strong connection and fantastic support from the federation.”
Lange’s debut came at the 2023 Aquathlon Championships in Ibiza and he’s loved the “incredible adventure” ever since.
“Without a doubt, my proudest moment so far was hearing the national anthem as I stood on the podium after winning the U23 title at the 2024 Aquathlon World Champs in Townsville. Since settling in Sydney, my focus has really sharpened on triathlon.”
Lianyungang is the launch pad of a what will be three Asian Continental Cup starts all being equal with Osaka Castle in Japan to follow before he returns to China for a race in Taizhou.
“Looking ahead this year, I’m keen to see where this triathlon journey takes me. If this race goes well, a late trip to Europe might be on the cards, with the aim of competing in some World Cups towards the end of the season.”
