Best Triathlon Poems


Soda Pop

Soda
Cumulus clouds
Biking, running, hiking
Triathlon, walk, mountain, top
Drinking, bathing, fishing
Sunny, torridly
Pop
|________________________|
 Penned on November 11, 2014!

Melissa Reid

Melissa always dreamed of being a beach lifeguard, 
But when it got to the age when she asked about it, 
She was told she could not because of her eye sight, 
Since she is visually impaired and so can't see well. 

Whilst studying sports science she found the triathlon, 
To be a sport which she could do - a guide sees for you,
And so trained hard every day on a static turbo trainer, 
Where you don't need someone to show you the way. 

Her swimming background means that she does best, 
At the swimming part of the three-disciplined triathlon,
The other components being cycling and running, PT5,
But the honest truth is she really loves the whole thing. 

In 2013 in Antalya, Turkey, at the ETU European Champs, 
Para-triathlon, Melissa won the hip-hop, most desired gold, 
And in 2014 in Kitzbühel in Austria, Melissa won the silver, 
At the ETU European Champs, where everybody else was. 

2015, and the ETU Europeans again but this time Geneva, 
And Melissa took the bronze, then 2016, the Netherlands, 
And Melissa bagged another bronze. She teaches swimming, 
Was born Nottinghamshire in 1990, and trains in Cornwall. 

In Rio she won a bronze and so stood tall on the podium, 
When the GB anthem sounded for her and Nicole Walters,
She’s already training hard for the next Paralympic games, 
Which are to be held in Tokyo, Japan, in the year 2020.

Lauren Steadman

Lauren is originally a Paralympic swimmer, 
But her uncle guided her into the triathlon, 
A third of which involves outdoor swimming, 
And did her first one in 2011, came second. 

Born without a lower right arm, she’s won, 
Many a Paralympic, World and Euro title, 
And in swimming, 2009, won the Worlds,
In Rio, the 4x100m freestyle relay 34pts.

In that same year in Reykjavik in Iceland, 
Lauren won the bronze 400m freestyle S9, 
And in Berlin in 2011, at the Euro Champs, 
Lauren took freestyle 4x100m relay bronze. 

2013, and she scored top gold in Antalya, 
Turkey, at the ETU Para-tiathlon Europeans, 
Then at the ITU World Champs in London, 
Lauren logged down a silver medal proudly. 

Then in 2014 at the ETU European Champs, 
In Kitzbühel, Austria, Lauren won the gold, 
And at the ITU Worlds, Edmonton, Canada,  
Lauren took yet another World class title. 
 
In 2015 at the ETU Europeans in Geneva, 
She strode to victory with yet another gold, 
And at the ITU World Champs in Chicago,
In that same year, yet another fell on her. 

2016 and at the ETU Europeans in Lisbon, 
Portugal, Lauren collected still another gold, 
And so in Rio she triumphed with a silver:  
She has a 1st in Psychology, born 18/12/92.


Faye Mcclelland

Faye was working as a gym instructor, 
When a colleague asked her to set up, 
A triathlon event, and she was a runner, 
In the contest, so desired to join up. 

She competed in her first triathlon 2009, 
And is now a four time World Champion;
She came 4th in Rio, just missed top line, 
And trains at the Loughborough pavilion.

In 2013 at the ITU Para-triathlon Worlds, 
She won the gold: that was in London, 
And in 2014 at the Edmonton ITU Worlds, 
She took the silver slot with conviction. 

Then in 2015 Faye won another silver, 
In the ETU European Geneva Champs, 
And in 2016, Lisbon, Faye gave tether,
To another stellar silver for her lamps. 

In the French Besançon World Para Event, 
Claire captured the gold. A physiotherapist, 
Who was born without any left hand rent, 
Born in Eastbourne as a Nov. 1979 guest.

Alison Patrick

Alison completed the triathlon in Rio, 
With Hazel Smith, her guide athlete, 
‘Cos she’s visually impaired, not solo, 
And so needs Hazel to see the beat. 
 
She comes from Dunfermline, Scotland, 
Hazel comes from Edinburgh, capital,  
She loves to sing whilst a cooking hand, 
And worked as a physiotherapist vital. 

She wanted to be a runner, but injuries, 
Prevented this, so she took up triathlon, 
With her friends’ persuasion, frivolities,
In 2014 it quickly became her profession. 

Alison collected the bronze in Kitzbühel,
Austria, at the ETU European Champs, 
And still in that year, 2014, a gold bushel,
In Edmonton at the ITU World Champs. 

2015, and Alison struck pure gold again, 
At the ETU European Champs, Geneva, 
And then at the Chicago ITU World den, 
She took for the two of ‘em another silver. 

2016 and the ITU Worlds in Rotterdam, 
The Netherlands, and Alison won gold; 
She trains in Loughborough’s stadium, 
And was born in 1987 as eighties bold.

Ryan Taylor

“Cerebral Palsy has not held me back, 
I've not let it hold me back.” A footballer, 
In past years on the England CP squad, 
Ryan is a para-triathlon PT2 competitor. 

In 2015 Ryan won the bronze medal,
ITU World Championships in Chicago,
And in 2016 in Buffalo City, the Worlds, 
Ryan won the gold in 01:13:33, the title. 

Then in Aguilas, Spain, at more Worlds, 
He came second in a time of 01:13:31,
And at the Rotterdam World Champs, 
Ryan came fifth in 01:12:57, much fun.

At Rio de Janeiro he finished sixth place, 
His cerebral palsy affects his right side, 
He uses with dexterity an adapted bike, 
With left hand gears and brakes to glide.


Claire Cunningham

Claire won 5 medals at the Barcelona Paras, 
In 1992, where she took the 50m freestyle gold, 
To set a World Record, and in the 100m pass, 
Still freestyle, she secured a warm silver fold,

A silver for the 100m backstroke and 4x100 relay,
Which made her extremely proud, chuffed no end, 
So she only took up para-triathlon 2008, recently, 
And in 2008, the Worlds, she won the gold blend. 

In 2013 at the ETU Para-triathlon Europeans, 
In Antalya in Turkey, Claire won the solid silver, 
And in 2014, the ITU Worlds with London johns, 
Claire came home 3rd, a bronze to weather. 

2015 and the ITU Worlds again, in Edmonton, 
Canada, and Clare truly proved again to be, 
Successful at the triathlon with consolidation, 
Of another bronze medal, podium victory to see. 

That same year in Buffalo City at the Worlds, 
She won the title, and at the GBR Nationals, 
She came 2nd, also at the ITU London Worlds, 
Then 3rd at the ETU Geneva European stiles. 

1st in Detroit at the ITU Worlds, and then 2nd,
In Penrith in 2016 at more ITU Worlds again;
She finished 4th in Lisbon, Portugal - her bend,
Towards swimming, biking and running did pen. 

She was born without a left forearm, prosthetic, 
And was a Chartered Accountant. She reads, 
Watches box sets, loving West Wing frenetic,
And hates mice. She has English Lit MA seeds.

The Clinking of the Pans

Playing tic tac toe with a triangular time bomb can be said to be a great idea for a triathlon of terrifically trained turnips whose expertise in the feats show a huge display of dedication, dietary dresses, and downright deserved dutiful distinguished drag. But a stage is not a stallion nor a stagnant shaped ship. But wait now and look over there and carefully study what is around. It is the fast fishes. Fast fishes fleeing flying fermented frogs. And the arrival of a little deck of cards is quite astounding really. For cards clap ecstatically exciting excellent extrasensory extraterrestrials eating evening electric eels. Oh great. Here is the glass beads chatting again. Clutter jingle. In a clatter. Of course in a clatter for clatter chatter is a seasoned dish of cubic carved corn smiling in weapon proof sunhats. Dare to dance the dance of delight with a dishcloth then. Good. Fantastic. Hahah the sea wheels are treading over an otter hut. Hahaha mangos balancing on top of a fifty acre sky scraper. Xxxxx psychologically z z z z 1 2 3 4 pea leap. Z

Singing

Singing
(With thanks to John Miles.)

Singing was my first love,
And it may be my last,
Singing in the future,
Came from singing in the past...

First was singing at school,
Happy songs and ditties,
And a solo first verse
Of 'Royal David's City

Then to the local choir
To sing along in church
hymns and carols, where on
the edge of a pew I'd perch

Soon the joys of rugby
Enticed me from the choir
With songs of maidens named
Dinah and Delilah

We'd sing of Immobile,
and then "The Sloop John B"
And a Dickie-Die-Doe
My rugby team mates and me

Then a hip replacement
Stopped all the running stuff
Rugby and triathlon
My body had sung "Enough"

My soul cried out for more
My brain would not relent
From finding a way to
Assuage my musical bent

Next up was D.M.T.
And also TiTCo too
Concerts and musicals
Sung, and operas with W.H.O.

As-hoc singing as well
Sea shanties down the pub
And those  stand up, floor spots
At Seend Acoustic Club

So here I sit today
The score upon my desk
Learning my tenor line
For whichever show comes next.

Singing was my first love,
And it may be my last,
Singing in the future,
Came from singing in the past...
© The Didds  Create an image from this poem.

Joe Townsend

Joe’s triathlon consisted of a 750m swim, 
A hand bike race which covered 20km,
And then a wheelchair race for 5km grim: 
Joe collapsed on the Rio finish line fen. 

But he came sixth, a good Royal Marine, 
Stepped on an IED in Helmand in 2008,
Both legs amputated, a chair did him fine, 
He’s the only w/c user with UKSCA gait. 

He first competed in Ironman UK triathlon,
In 2011, and In the London Paralympics,
He carried the Paralympic Flame icon, 
In the opening show, up in the air - antics. 

2013 at the ETU Para-triathlon Euros, 
In Antalya, Turkey, and Joe won bronze, 
2014 and the next ETU, Kitzbühel pose, 
And Joe took deserved Austrian bronze.

In Rio back in 2015 at the ITU Worlds, 
Joe stole 4th place, and in Penrith 2016,
At more ITU Worlds, Joe’s silver cords, 
Were awarded from a 2nd place steam. 

In Lisbon at the 2016 ETU Euro Champs, 
Joe came home 3rd taking bronze position, 
And in French Besançon his bright lamps, 
Were bronze lamps again, composition.

Phil Hogg

Phil embraced his disability when he acquired it, 
And took up the disability sport of para-triathlon, 
Where you swim, cycle and race a set distance:
He broke his back in 1991 in a cycling incident. 

His nickname at school was Oggy, he was cool, 
And is tattooed with Elvis, the king and the man, 
He’s from Heanor in Derbyshire, trains at LUT, 
Has two kids, Sam and Grace to know and love. 

In the 2013 Para-triathlon European Champs, 
In Antalya which is in Turkey, he won the gold, 
And at some more Euros in Kitzbühel in Austria, 
2014, he won silver. His times were epitomes. 

In the 2014 ITU Para-triathlon World Champs, 
He won another silver: that was in Canada, 
In Edmonton, and in 2015 at the Euros again, 
In Geneva, he yet again won a silver medal. 

2016, and the Buffalo City ITU World Champs, 
Phil came home in 01:12:09, 1 hr and 12 mins, 
Then the Lisbon ETU Triathlon Euro Champs, 
And Phil raced in a time of 1 hr, 6 mins and 22. 

Strathclyde, and the ITU World Paratriathlon, 
And Phil finished in a time of 1 hr and 10.50,
Then the Rotterdam ITU Paratriathlon Worlds, 
And Phil completed the course in 01:07:46.

In Rio Phil finished in 8th place, and previously, 
Before para-triathlon, he did wheelchair racing, 
Completing many Bupa runs, like Great North, 
And he also owns 13 caps for w/c basketball.

Premium Member Distant Shores

O what heavy price for independence
Valiant men dying in fierce triathlon
Battling to their last breath for its defense
As they protect the walls of Babylon

Laying down their lives with no shade of guilt
While powerless the great sun god watches
Its ravaged empire pillaged and rebuilt
Over layered bodies, bones and swatches

My tears taste bitter as you sail away
Cross daunting distant shores of Babylon
Wishing there were a way you could delay
And somehow all our troubles would be gone

My heavy heart on the wing of a swan
Amid hanging gardens of Babylon



AP: 1st place 2021

Submitted on June 18, 2018 for contest DISTANT SHORES sponsored by ROBERT HAIGH  -  RANKED 6TH

George Peasgood

George suffered a traumatic left ankle injury, 
When he was only two and a half years old, 
But many a complex reconstructive surgery,
Meant that he could achieve his ambitions. 

His parents are both competitive Ironmen, 
And his brother represented Great Britain, 
In both the triathlon and duathlon, no swim, 
Also mum has run ten London marathons. 

One of his aims in competing in Rio grand, 
Was to inspire the crowd and mass public, 
To “go out and do anything they want to do,” 
Because drive is inbuilt thru his childhood. 

He did his first triathlon in 2009, and at 17, 
Won a bronze in 2013 at the London Worlds,
And in Rio, he finished seventh in his event, 
PT4, proving a true sportsman for team GB.

4 My Virtual Homies

It’s a decent social life, just the people who surround
But why settle for just that? So many more options abound.

Do I want to talk about triathlon, poetry or ultra running?
The neighbors don’t get them; coworkers thing they're funny.

The only consistent feedback I get is “Dude, you’re crazy.”
No, I’m not crazy.  And better if we don’t start on your “lazy”…

And poetry? I think I’ve already said more than once here,
That one gets little response but dead air…

It gets old explaining myself, and all my eccentricities
Keeping my heart on the under has become a daily necessity.

So it’s a blessed relief not to have to justify what I am
When I write and post poems, or mention how far I swam.

I can mold it to me and not me to it, almost simplistic
In that sense alone, it tends toward narcissistic.

So I wonder: Am I running and hiding, avoiding the need to adapt?
Releasing my soul, or keeping it trapped?

Writing new chapters, or redacting,
Adding to my life, or subtracting?

But the three letters, I think, that define so well,
If all this a good thing, are I, R, and L.

In real life, you see, not just in the internet ‘hood, 
I’ve met far more awesome people than I otherwise would.

And the kids I grew up with, we flew to the winds,
I never thought I’d see any of them again.

But I “see” most of them daily, in a virtual way,
A lost sense of continuity from a bygone day.

And my cousins from three thousand miles where I’m livin’,
To see their lives closely, oh what I’d have given.

It’s a wonderful supplement, these new modern worlds,
And I say this to you, flag unfurled:

I look forward daily to the great stuff you show me,
So this one’s for all my virtual homies!

3/10/16

Mad and the Roots

Gripped by the throat with tension 
Mad aggression pumping thru my veins 
Changing my complexion 
Pressing thru the world of small selections
Fencing off the other feelings of oppression 
And while I'm resting 
I don't wanna wake
But once my eyes open no time to hesitate
To much bullshyt to escape 
It's not like I was born with a cape
And even when matters are crazy but I refuse
Not to be great
I refuse not to turn the hands of fate
And make the universe concave my way
Been a struggle since birth
Trying to live with these lies
Told even since I put the me in time
And now I got a family that's mine 
And I must throw away all pride 
And keep the dream that I breathe life to alive
Hungry for what's never told was mine
And told all the things that are above my level
That's fine
Sit and watch as I not climb but claw to the top
Kick scream and holla at the stars 
That like to play against the odds
Of the campaign of my cause 
Causing me to fall
Causing me to look forward and back to remember where I came from
Causing me to wayward this and carry on
For that's all I know
That's all that anyone been telling me 
How I'm wrong 
How I'm slow 
How I'm the one that love doing it the hard way yo
How I'm the one that will fall flat on my face 
Lose my place
Lose the initiative in which I started this whole thing
Have me missing my template 
But they don't see I'm God sent 
Regardless 
Of all the bullshyt curse words and bombardment 
I will be in undeniable 
Came far from where it was that I begin
Even with snow storms and hail pours I'm destined to win
Even if I'm straight drowning in gin
And gasoline was part of the triathlon that I had to swim
The king is crazy
So for my babies I will swim
I will seek opportunity 
Watch it put away it's jewelry 
Sit back maniacally 
Schematic the whole the place 
Plottingly 
Run up n the place also smiling
With no gun on the waist demolishing
Any and everything
That's my plan 
To overstand 
And not undermine what my mind will conceive
For it's what I can grasp in my hand
The whole damn planet 
Water sky clouds and granite
And if too much for me to hold
Just u watch me manage......peace

Get a Premium Membership
Turn off ads, get more exposure for your poetry, and get more features with a Premium Membership.
Book: Diverse Voices: The Poetry of Human Rights and the Pursuit of Peace