Organised chaos awaits Grant Sheldon when he takes the plunge into the waters off Auckland tonight as triathlon's World Series gets under way for another year.
Arms flapping, legs flying, a test of nerve as much as fitness awaits the Glaswegian prospect.
"I've really worked on my swim this winter," he confirms. "I took a few months to change a few things." Small gains might make all the difference. He was 12th here last year in what was his first serious foray into the senior ranks. A field that also includes Jonny Brownlee and the defending world champion Javier Gomez will not beckon him past. But Sheldon is filled with the confidence that his global successes at junior level can translate into grown-up gains.
"I've never had much of a problem believing I can compete with the best," he said. "I mean I had good results in my first few races against good senior fields. I'm not easily intimidated. You can ask me that question again when I'm chapping on the door of the podium against the very best and you might get a different answer though."
Time is on his side. Yet he is almost the same age now as the younger of the brothers Brownlee was in landing both Olympic bronze and a world title in 2012. If you are good enough, you're old enough, the Scot knows. But, he declares. "it is only my second year out of junior racing so I don't feel much expectation from others."
Still, we are less than 18 months away from Rio 2016. It is presumed that Great Britain will earn the full quota of three spots and that two are all but reserved for Jonny and Alistair. Ranking points are now bartering chips with qualification weighted heavily towards a race in Turkey next spring and Brazil's pre-Games test event.
"Barring the two Brownlees, the rest of the best in Britain will be there trying to get selected for the qualifying events," Sheldon acknowledges. "I see that as a rare opportunity to race with these guys, in good form and try and come out on top. So if I then qualify for the Rio test event, get experience and I'll peak to be in my best shape to put down a mark."
Elsewhere David McNamee will have his first foray at the full Ironman distance in South Africa tomorrow following his decision to quit the Olympic circuit.
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