Successful Ageing and Competitive Sport: Insights from Older Triathletes

Winterbotham, Sonya (2014) Successful Ageing and Competitive Sport: Insights from Older Triathletes. Honours thesis, University of Southern Queensland. (Unpublished)


Abstract

Population ageing is occurring on a global scale with major economic consequences. To minimise these consequences research has sought to understand older adults who age successfully; predominantly existing literature has focused on older athletes as exemplar models. It was therefore the aim of the current study to extend on this previous research by a) refining the sample to endurance triathletes, and b) utilising an Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis approach. Thus, semi-structured interviews were conducted with seven triathletes aged 55 years or older. Resultant themes revealed that there were multiple ways of understanding the ageing process; notably, successful ageing required a positive mental attitude, high self-efficacy, and a broad sense of self. Whilst aware of inevitable physical decline, participants were able to reposition ageing as a period of opportunity; older triathletes therefore remained engaged in life with a keen interest in pursuing personal growth. These findings suggest that it is possible to experience successful ageing without resistance to decline and reliance on physical capability.


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Item Type: Thesis (Non-Research) (Honours)
Item Status: Live Archive
Additional Information: Current UniSQ staff and students can request access to this thesis. Please email research.repository@unisq.edu.au with a subject line of SEAR thesis request and provide: Name of the thesis requested and Your name and UniSQ email address
Faculty/School / Institute/Centre: Historic - Faculty of Health, Engineering and Sciences - School of Psychology, Counselling and Community (1 Jul 2013 - 31 Dec 2014)
Supervisors: Jan du Preez
Qualification: Bachelor of Science (Honours)
Date Deposited: 16 Oct 2025 01:17
Last Modified: 16 Oct 2025 01:17
Uncontrolled Keywords: Successful ageing; older adults; triathletes; interpretative phenomenological analysis;
Fields of Research (2008): 17 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 1799 Other Psychology and Cognitive Sciences > 179999 Psychology and Cognitive Sciences not elsewhere classified
Fields of Research (2020): 52 PSYCHOLOGY > 5299 Other psychology > 529999 Other psychology not elsewhere classified
URI: https://sear.unisq.edu.au/id/eprint/52892

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