The Board, staff and members of Triathlon Australia are today mourning the loss of Jackie Fairweather – one of the true champions and supporters of our sport. Jackie passed away on the weekend.
 Jackie Fairweather(Photo: Triathlon Australia; click to enlarge) |
Triathlon Australia extends its deepest sympathies to Jackie's husband, Simon Fairweather, her family and all those who were close to her.
Triathlon Australia's CEO Anne Gripper, also a personal friend of both Jackie and Simon spoke for all in the wider triathlon community today.
"It has been a tough 24 hours for us all and our hearts and thoughts go out to Simon and the Gallagher and Fairweather families at this time," said Ms Gripper.
"She was a remarkable Australian who put her heart and soul into everything she ever did.
"The number of calls and messages, we have received clearly indicate that Jackie will never be forgotten by anyone who had the pleasure of knowing her.
"As an athlete, Jackie was the best in the world – winning the 1996 ITU Triathlon World Championship and the 1996 and 1999 ITU Duathlon World Championships
"As a coach, Jackie laid the foundation for many of our young triathletes as the first U23 triathlon coach at the AIS.
"As a mentor, Jackie provided support and motivation for countless athletes – particularly when things were not going so well for them.
"As a supporter and friend of the sport, Jackie was always there – as a Board member, our Sport Performance Manager at the AIS and as wise counsel on issues of importance to our sport.
"Rest in peace Jackie – we thank you for your passion and commitment to our sport, and will deeply miss your presence amongst us."
Jackie began competing in triathlon in 1992 and won the elite Australian National Series in her first season.
She also won the World Duathlon Championship in 1996 to become the only person ever to win both world titles in the same year and bronze medal in the marathon in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester after finishing 11th in her first ever marathon in Boston and I 2005 she won the Gold Coast Marathon.
In 2012 she was inducted into the Triathlon Australia Hall of Fame alongside other legends of the sport Emma Carney and Loretta Harrop.
She spent eight years as a professional triathlete. In 1996 she became the world triathlon champion, setting a championship record time of 1 hour 50 minutes 52 seconds in Cleveland, Ohio.
Athletic Performance
- ITU Career: 1993-2000
- ITU World Champion 1996
- ITU World Championship silver 1995, 19967, 1999
- ITU World Duathlon Champion 1996, 1999
- 4 x ITU World Cup wins
- 2001-2005 Head of High Performance Triathlon Coach, Australian Institute of Sport, Canberra
- 2002 Commonwealth Games, Manchester: Marathon bronze medal.
Biography
Jackie Fairweather (née Gallagher; born 10 November 1967) is a World Champion Australian triathlete and long-distance runner.
Fairweather began competing in triathlon in 1992, and won the elite Australian National Series in her first season.
She spent eight years as a professional triathlete and in 1996 she became ITU World Triathlon Champion in Cleveland, Ohio, setting a championship record time of 1 hour 50 minutes 52 seconds. She also won the ITU World Duathlon Championships in 1996 to become the only person ever to win both world titles in the same year.
Fairweather won the ITU Duathlon World Championships again in 1999, but narrowly missed repeating the double in the Triathlon World Championship, after finishing 2nd to Loretta Harrop. Fairweather collected further World Championship silver medals in 1995 and 1997, and won the bronze medal in the marathon in the 2002 Commonwealth Games (after finishing 11th in her first ever marathon in Boston).
Fairweather was known for her analytical approach to the sport and tenacity to try something different, the two contributions she is most proud of reflect that. One was her role in helping establish the Junior and Under23 World Championship format, with clear age divisions and a sprint distance for juniors.
In 2004, she married the 2000 Olympic archery champion Simon Fairweather. She was also the inaugural coach of the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Triathlon program between 2001 and 2005.
