Ky Hurst’s name has been synonymous with the Ironman series and surf life saving (SLS) for a number of years – and rightly so. The 22-year-old Queenslander has collected seven Ironman titles as well as numerous other national titles in open-water swimming and SLS.

Now, this young athlete is about to make his mark in the pool with the goal of earning a place in the Olympic squad that will head to Athens, Greece, next year.

Born in Nambour, Queensland, and now living in Tugun, Ky and his younger brother, Dane (also a successful Ironman), were literally raised in the water by their mum, Kerrie, herself a champion surf life saver.

Ky began surfing at the age of two, and by the age of seven he had began swimming training. The following year he joined a surf life saving club.

Thanks to genetics (in addition to his mum, Ky’s grandfather was a world long board champion and his great-uncle was an Australian champion), hard work and a desire to succeed, Ky powered ahead of his teammates.

Ky’s results seem hardly attainable in one so young over such a short period of time – second at the 1998 World Open Water Championship; 2001/2002 Kellogg’s Ironman Series winner, and the feather in his cap, winning the 2001/2002 Australian Nationals (where his Ironman win then equaled the record set by one of his role models, Grant Kenny, and surpassed that of another role model and friend, Trevor Hendy).

Ky has now made the switch from open water to the pool and is progressing extremely well under the watchful eye of his coach, Dennis Cottrell. Some friendly competition from his training partner Grant Hackett isn’t hurting either.

He is also in the gym three-times-a-week, guided by Body Science (one of Ky’s sponsors) Human Performance Specialist, Dirk Spits. Dirk also advises Ky on his diet and supplementation.

With Dirk’s help, Ky has shaved seconds off his times in the pool and is fitter, leaner, stronger and healthier than ever before. He now has his sights set on the World Cup, to be held in Melbourne in December.

Out of the pool, Ky enjoys some quiet time with his family and girl friend Melissa, as well as surfing or playing golf with his mates. But he also enjoys a good adrenaline rush when he is not competing. He has been skydiving and bungee jumping and his on the way to obtaining his pilot’s license in a Cessna 172.

Ky supports a number of local charities and is often called upon to talk to children and teenagers about positive thinking and goal fulfillment.

A quiet achiever, Ky is well respected among his peers and popular with sports fans because of his modesty and quiet determination to succeed. It hardly seems possible that this ‘boy next door’ has also graced breakfast cereal boxes and has again made it to the list of Australia’s most eligible bachelors!