Ironman: Bozzone's back with a vengeance

A freak accident on a last-minute bike ride before last year's Auckland Ironman had serious consequences through the year for Terenzo Bozzone.

There's a fair bet that Terenzo Bozzone won't go out on any last-minute bike rides before next weekend's Ironman 70.3 Auckland triathlon that doubles as the Asia Pacific Championship.

He will no doubt reflect on his bizarre 2013 season when a freak accident before last year's Auckland race wrecked nearly half his season before he exploded with nine straight podium performances including runner-up at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in the second half of the year.

His triathlon career has been like that.

Bozzone, a global prodigy as a young teen, had already won an Ironman 70.3 world title by the time he was 24 and owned an unthinkable course record at Wildflower in California, a historic race where every star endurance triathlete had trod before him.

He suffered his first serious injury off the back of finishing runner-up to Cameron Brown at Ironman New Zealand in 2011. After the injury would not settle, Bozzone returned home for surgery.

"I came back too soon after the Achilles surgery and just expected things to come back to where they were," said Bozzone. "But I found out that life isn't a fairytale."

After many setbacks and with the support of wife Kelly, his family and coach Jon Ackland, they changed Bozzone's approach and training.

"I used to think I was training hard but I had to step it up. We made some big changes. There is much more specificity to my training now, more quality."

In late 2012 he saw light peeking through the dark clouds with late season 70.3 wins in Miami USA and Shepparton in Australia. Then someone opened a car door into his path while on his final bike session before the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia Pacific Championships in his home city of Auckland.

Delayed concussion went undetected and forced him to quit Ironman New Zealand in March. After a full recovery, which set him back several more weeks, Bozzone and Ackland started to rebuild yet again.

"The results in training came with those changes. I was running the best times of my career. I started to find confidence, which means I could race more within myself and back myself, knowing I had the race plan and ability to win through."

The 28-year-old Bozzone turned things around with a superb second half of the season that culminated in runner-up at the Ironman 70.3 World Championships in Las Vegas and at the ITU Long Distance World Championships. He was on the podium in all nine starts including 70.3 wins in Mont-Tremblant, Florida, Miami, Mandurah and Shepparton.

One big difference is that he will only race now if he is in a position to challenge for victory.

"Jon and I won't go into races with my hands tied behind my back. I will only race when I want to race and I am ready to race."

Another key is that he has balance in his life, after marrying long-time partner Kelly last New Year.

"At my lowest point I did consider giving it away. I questioned my ability and if I was doing the right thing to get back. Throughout it all Kelly has been a huge part of my life and has been massive through the tough times.

"Marriage does make a difference for me. My challenge now is that when I am on the road I miss her horribly."

Bozzone said he has made mistakes in his career but his troubled times have helped him grow, mature and understand.

"I wish that maybe I had delayed my introduction into Ironman for a few more years but it is a gradual learning process. I am not 16 anymore. I've been at this for 15 years and yet I am still only 28.

"I think my best years in the sport are still ahead of me."