Launceston's Ava Wheatley has a never-say-die attitude that would make Aussie sports icon Steven Bradbury proud.

Like Bradbury did when he suddenly went from last to first to win speed skating gold at the 2002 Winter Olympics, Wheatley never gave up during Ironman Western Australia at Busselton last month.

She had plenty of reasons to throw in the towel during the 3.8-kilometre swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run.

The 20-year-old broke two toes during her transition from the swim to bike leg.

"I got out of the swim, obviously a little bit disorientated, because I'd just swallowed a whole bunch of sea water," she said.

"There's an overpass that you have to run across in order to get to transition.

"I was trying to stop my watch and wave to my family and I tripped over and stubbed my toes."

Despite the stumble she pushed on toward her bike.

"Then my foot started swelling up and I couldn't put my foot in my bike shoe," she said. "So I rode the entire 180 kilometers with my left foot out of its shoe and sitting on top which was hard because it meant that I couldn't pull up."

That hampered her speed but she battled on.

"Then I ran the 42 kilometres with the broken toes and ended up with blisters that covered the entirety of my feet," she said.

The young athlete dealt with excruciating pain for the best part of 15 hours.

"There were times where I just didn't even want to put one foot in front of the other," she said.

"And your head gets very dark and I began to disassociate quite a lot especially in the marathon section of the race. I think for me, that was the only way that I got through it was to just take myself out of the pain.

"It's a process that I find really hard to describe."

Wheatley was determined to finish.

"I thought, I'm going to be in pain no matter what, I may as well be in pain with a medal around my neck," she said.

Family support was key to her getting over the finish line. "Having my dad there with me talking to me getting me through was something that I'm very blessed to have," she said.

"Because not a lot of athletes who do the ironman can have their dad with them the whole time.

"I'm very lucky to have his support. And my whole family came over to WA and cheered me on.

"Just seeing their faces and seeing how proud they were of me was what kept me going."

Her family had to remain strong too as they were worried about her wellbeing.

The resilient athlete got home with a smile on her face.

"I finished really well. I was really happy," she said.

"I could talk and I wasn't fainting or anything, I only had sore feet. So it was fine."

They say hard workers make their own luck and that's the way it fell for Wheatley.

Just by crossing the finish line she qualified for the World Ironman Championship in Kona, Hawaii, this October.

"So usually it's the first in your age group that qualifies to go to the world championships," she said.

"I'm in the 18 to 24 age group and I came second and then the lady who came first I think either pulled out or is already going so then it rolls down to me."

Wheatley has only ever been to a Hawaii airport so she can't wait to experience one of the world's most desired locations.

"I am over the moon. I never thought that this early in my ironman endeavour I would be going to the world championships," she said.

"I'm very grateful to be competing among the best in the world.

"My grandfather's done Kona before so I've got some great tips from him and I'm planning on going into it in the best state that I can be."

She'll also be aiming to wear a big smile on course and have as much fun as she can.

It won't be the up-and-comer's first time at a world championships either.

In the past decade, she has also competed at the World Highland Dance Championship three times at Cowal in Scotland. She came second in her age group one year.

She was 16 when she represented Australia at the Virginia International Tattoo in the United States.

Triathlon, which she started when she was 14, has since captured Wheatley's full attention and she doesn't dance anymore.

"It just took over my life a little bit and I've really loved it from the word go," she said.

"My dad (Matthew) and grandfather (Peter) have been doing ironman and ultraman for a few years now. With their support and their training plans they have got me into the long distance endurance triathlon."

Wheatley, who is in her third year of a physical education teaching degree, did her first ironman at Taupo in New Zealand when she was 18.

"I really wanted to do an ironman before I turned 18 to be honest, but obviously they don't let you, so I waited very patiently until I was 18," she said.

"I'd been training for about nine months beforehand with my dad and grandfather and was well prepared for it. I did the entire race with them.

"We did the bike and run together and we crossed the finish line together.

"It was very special to be able to go through that entire process with them."

Preparation is crucial to Wheatley's ability to compete and she trains up to 25-30 hours a week.

She and her dad typically ride to Campbell Town or around Cressy and their legs feel the burn when they do repeat efforts on the hilly Poatina roads.

The emerging competitor otherwise clocks hours on a bike trainer at home and gets her swimming sessions in with laps at Launceston Leisure and Aquatic Centre or by diving in the Tamar River.

As Wheatley says, she "did a Bradbury" at Busselton.

It'll be exciting to see where her determination takes her at the world championships.

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