LITTLE FLISS
Fliss was born in Brisbane, however spent her early years in the bush in Central Qld on her family´s 20,000 acre property. A move to Brisbane as she was growing up was to ensure that she and her twin brother Geoff were given every opportunity for a good education and give them access to other facilities not available in the bush. However, she is quite determined to return to the country one day, it must be where her heart lies. No surprise, as all of her family are hard working people from the land.
SCHOOL FLISS
After dabbling in a little pony club and her love for horses ,swimming then formed a big part of her early primary school days. She continued on through school - along with a keen interest in art and music and lessons in violin, clarinet and Saxaphone.
During her secondary school years Fliss went on to win 22 National Titles in Triathlon, Athletics and Cross Country. She won 1500m and 3000m on the track and was the National Cross Cross Country Champion. on numerous occasions.
In 2003 after a year off competing due to a virus, Fliss won the World Junior Championship in Queenstown, New Zealand ahead of Vanessa Fernandes and Maxine Seears. This is one of her most memorable races to date and hopes ´Kiwi´ Land will bring her more luck and great racing in the future.
NATIONAL FLISS
At 18, in early 2005 Fliss was selected in her first National Elite Team for Triathlon and represented Australia at the ITU World Championships in Gamagori and placed 6th. This placing led to her being named ITU “Rookie of the Year in 2005 in her first year of elite representation. At the end of the 2005 season she was ranked 10th in the World.
COMMONWEALTH FLISS
In 2006 Fliss was honoured to be considered for selection in to the Commonwealth Games Team after the withdrawal of Loretta Harrop - and although competing with an injury finished in 14th place. She was given the opportunity to experience being part of a major competition and the experience stood her in good stead - as later on in the year ( after recovering from injury) was able to go on and achieve a Bronze Medal in the ITU World Championships in Lausanne September 2006. This has probably been her biggest achievement in her brief triathlon career and her biggest personal highlight by far!
ELITE FLISS
After returning home from Lausanne she then went on to win the Noosa Triathlon in October 2006 - once again a very big thrill in her own country with some of the best athletes in the world racing a non-drafting race. She became the youngest Noosa winner in the events history and was also the youngest elite World Championship medalist at 20 years of age.
2007 was a year of frustration and a few injuries ( not overuse injuries to her credit ) Not much racing or travel away from home was made. After having to pull out of World Champs in Hamburg, with very limited preparation she still decided contest the Beijing World Cup on the Olympic course and still managed a 10th place and a 2nd place at Noosa.
Come 2008 Fliss had done the best she could do with her preparation for the Beijing Olympic Trials early in the year. Unfortunately, under a discretionary selection policy, selection into the Australian team for Beijing was always going to be controversial She was named a disappointing first reserve – and was devastated but showed great composure and maturity to get on with the job and the rest of the season. Determined to prove a point - Fliss climbed her way to the ITU World Number 1 rankings for the first time in her very short career.
A recent move to the Gold Coast and a new coach has been the best change yet for Fliss. After a big rest from training at the end of the current season, she is looking forward to starting fresh and working towards the new series of racing in 2009, with the Gold Coast World Championships Finale in September.
PERSONAL DETAILS
Nicknames - Fliss, Flick, Flicka
Date of Birth - 16/08/1986
Place of Birth - Brisbane, QLD
Place of Residence - Brisbane, QLD
Age Started Competing - 13
First time awarded QAS Scholarship - 2002
First time awarded AIS Scholarship - 2003
Occupation - Athlete
How you became involved in the sport
- From swimming & the odd run with Dad ( she pushed his limits! )
REPRESENTATIVE HISTORY
Years of State Junior Representation - 2000, 2001, 2002
Years of State Senior Representation - 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006.2007
Years of National Junior Representative Teams - 2003
Years of National Senior Representative Teams - 2005, 2006,2007,2008
Years of Commonwealth Games Representation - 2006
OTHER PERSONAL INFORMATION & FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Hieght - 167cm
Weight - 54 kg In hard training 52kg for specific Races
Eye colour - Blue
Hair Colour - Blonde
Marital Status - Single
Pets: Blue staffy - ´Marley´
Goals In Triathlon - World Championship , Olympic Gold
GOALS IN LIFE AND OTHER STUFF
I am so grateful for what I have been given and I just want to live life to the best of my ability .I love what I do as a living at the moment and consider myself so lucky. All I want in life is to live happily without too much of a worry.
FAMILY AND FRIENDS
I have very close family – and they mean the world to me. I know they are always there for support and advice – and I wouldn’t have it any other way. They are all involved in sport too, and understand what being an elite athlete involves and all the work, sacrifice and pressure that it entails. However, I am so lucky to be able to do something I love and I hope one day that I can pass on my experiences to those less fortunate than myself.
In the future I wish to look back and tell my children what I have achieved and not what I could have achieved . I do however have a vision of one day living in an old style house in a quiet area close to the ocean , with a big green paddock and some horses out the back.
DREAMS
The last line of what I have written above . To also help unfortunate young kids who struggle in some way.
SPORTSPERSON MOST ADMIRED
Mohammad Ali , Haile Gebreselassie
HERO
My dad , Bob Marley , Nelson Mandela , Haile Gebreselassie sick kids or anyone who has or is trying to beat a life threatening illness like cancer.
OTHER SPORTS I FOLLOW
Rugby - My twin - Geoff is a professional Rugby player.
FAVOURITE FOODS
Fresh seafood - prawns , bugs, crab , fish - the lot , with some thick cut hot chips! Roasted pumpkin and sweet potato , the crackle on roast pork (it´s bad but sooo good!) ,fresh fruit , quality dark chocolate , sticky date pudding with vanilla ice-cream mmmmm!
FAVOURITE MUSIC / BANDS
Bob Marley & the Wailers ,Ziggy marley, Cornerstone roots, Jimmy Cliff ,Ladi 6 ,Tiki Taane , Scribe , Talib kweli ,India Arie, Ben Harper , Jack Johnson , Xavier Rudd , Blue king Brown ,Katchafire, Fat Freddy´s Drop , Missy Higgins , Toots & the maytals , Ray Charles , The Black seeds, KingTide , UB40, Luciano, Akon, Rhianna , Adrea Boccelli- love good live music!
FAVOURITE HOLIDAY DESTINATION
Anywhere a bit quiet , with fresh air ,sun , surf , sand , green countryside with horses , mountains and snow for skiing!
HOBIES
Music, cooking, good food/drink, art
SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS IN RECENT YEARS
2008
- 2nd Hungary World Cup
- 2nd Hamburg World Cup
- 14th Hy-Vee Triathlon World Cup
- 6th World Championships,Vancouver Canada
- 21st Madrid World cup
- 2nd Richards Bay World Cup
- 3rd New Plymouth World Cup
- 12th Moooloolaba World Cup
- 2nd Luke Harrop ITU Oceania Cup, Gold Coast 1/3/08
2007
- 2nd Noosa Triathlon, November
- 10th Beijing World Cup,September
- 11th Des Moins World Cup, June
2006
- Bronze Medal ITU World Triathlon Champonships
- Won Geneva European Cup
- Won Noosa Triathlon 2006
- Commonwealth Games
- 8th Cornerbrook, Canada World Cup
2005
- 6th - World Champs, Gamagori , Japan
- International Triathlon Union - ´Rookie of the Year´
- 3rd - Aust Champs, Geelong
- 2nd Hobart ITU oceania race
- 6th Mooloolaba, Aus World Cup
- 9th Honolulu, Hawaii World Cup
- 11th Hamburg, Germany World Cup
2004
- U23 Aust Champ
- Oceania Champ
- 4th Mooloolaba
- Selected for u23 World Champs (DNS due to injury)
2003
- World Junior Champion, Queenstown, NewZealand
- Aust Junior Champ, Coffs Harbour , Aus
2001
- Aust Schools Champ, Perth
- 4th - World Aquathon Champs, Edmonton Canada
