Darrin Norwood

MULTIPLE medal winner Darrin Norwood said his attention to detail was the main reason for his best performance in national masters competition.

“On the day, just everything started clicking,” he said.

“Just before I was leaving, even my training, everything was getting in sync.

“I had high expectations.  I was completely stoked with everything that I was doing.

“That was my best competition by far.”

Having been named champion of champions at his latest national competition, Darrin Norwood could have enjoyed a celebratory drink.

However, the Ipswich achiever is delaying any partying until after this month’s Queensland masters titles at the Gold Coast.

Norwood, 34, has just returned from Tasmania where he won an incredible 11 gold medals and one silver in two athletics competitions over four days.

He’d amassed similar medal hauls from his past three Australian championship campaigns.  However, his most recent performances in Launceston and Hobart were his best to date, yielding his first champion of champions crown.

“Through all of the age groups, I ended up winning by three centimetres,” he said.

“It was fantastic.”

While being a personal trainer is a huge advantage, the dedicated competitor said widespread Ipswich support lifted him to a new level.

Apart from thanking family and friends, Norwood said his training partners at CrossFit Western Front (Brandon Swan and Alex Raethke) were major influences.

He also appreciated support from Lifestyle Health Club, where he works, and the Ipswich and District Athletic Club he represents.

Norwood began his remarkable medal assault in Launceston last week, successfully defending his national outdoor weight title and going one better than last year’s second in the weight pentathlon.

He set a personal best points score in the weight pentathlon (2668).

“It was a pretty good competition,” he said, tackling 10 events in Launceston.

“It pretty much went all day.  I got to pace myself through it.

“I felt fantastic after that.”

The next day, he was in Hobart for the first of three days of competition at the Australian Masters Championships.

On day one, Norwood won gold in each of his five events ― the weight throw, long jump, 100m, discus and hammer.

“I was extremely happy how I was going,” he said.

The next day, the former Ipswich Eagles Aussie rules player won gold in the 200m, javelin and triple jump.  He also won silver in the high jump.

“I was starting to feel the pinch a little bit from the previous two days,” he said.  “But I still came away with the result I was after.”

Norwood’s 11th gold came in the shot put on the final day, where he was named overall champion of the champions before flying home.

Back in Ipswich, he’s catching up on sleep and having an “easy training week”.

But he can’t resist doing another CrossFit challenge before another big program at the state masters titles on March 22 and 23.