Whakatāne’s Bev Henderson leaves for Spain tomorrow to compete in the 2026 World sprint Triathlon Championship Finals.

Henderson, 71, is looking forward to competing with the New Zealand team in Pontevedra on September 24 – and doing some sightseeing.

She said the trip would be an adventure, and she was looking forward to taking on another world-level competition after taking home a gold medal in Beijing in 2011.

“I’ve never been to Spain, and I look forward to seeing it. I’m also travelling on my own, so I’ll meet the rest of the New Zealand team over there.”

Henderson qualified for the event in March at the Napier triathlon, where she won her 70–74 age group.

She has been competing in triathlons for years, originally getting into the sport for fun.

“I could swim, I could ride a bike, and I could go for a run. So, I joined them all together,” she said.

The cost of competing internationally is significant with entry fees, uniforms, travel and administration costs, and Henderson is grateful for the support she has received from sponsors.

“Coastal Solar, East Bay Dental, Waito Farms, Awateko Horticulture, Susie Gart Shaw and John Baker; they all helped me fund my trip.”