Tomorrow the Wodonga Catholic College student heads to Queensland, part of the Victorian squad and eyeing a top-10 finish at the Australian youth triathlon titles.

Sometimes even Rodgers has to remind himself of those humble beginnings.

It took him almost 44 minutes to finish the Albury-Wodonga triathlon course at Allans Flat in his first race.

Now the 17-year-old is done and dusted in about 35 minutes.

In those early days he trained once a day and now is close to 14 sessions a week and a race on Sunday.

Junk food is “almost” a thing of the past.

Rodgers blew out the cobwebs, and a touch of the flu, with a win in a sprint distance triathlon at Rutherglen on Sunday, two weeks after he won at Shepparton.

Records have tumbled and a place in the state team is part reward for his performances and recognition of his potential.

“When I started out I was happy just to take 10 seconds off the time from the week before,” he said.

“I thought it was mad when I was training every day, now I’m on the bike, running or swimming every morning and afternoon.

“There was no thought of records or podium finishes.

“Even at the start of this season my coach said any results would be a bonus, that we would just aim to keep learning from those in the field, those around me and learn from myself — how I handle different situations in races.

“But the aim this week is to be top-10.”

Rodgers said triathlon racing is not for the faint-hearted.

Last year in his first foray into a national event, the same youth titles he will contest this week, the VCE student had first-hand experience.

“I hit the water in the swim leg and was up there somewhere near the lead in the first 100 metres and then as we rounded the first mark another swimmer grabbed my suit and pulled me under,” Rodgers said.

“After that the whole pack swam over the top of me.

“All I could do was struggle back to the surface to get some air before someone else swam over the top of me.

“At Allans Flat I was always a little scared to touch someone else in the race — not any more — you have to be aggressive.”

Rodgers was an accomplished swimmer long before switching to the multiple disciplines of his new sport.

“I had gone for a few rides with dad, came from a swim background and decided to give it a go and from there it just kept going,” he said.

“The swim is still my strength — I made state and country qualifying times in swimming but I was far from the best in the squad — a lot of the other triathletes haven’t had that training so that gives me a competitive edge.

“The bike is the area where I need to work on.

“About two months ago I got a new bike and the results have been very impressive.

“I used to average around 34km/h on the Allans Flat course and with the new bike it has been up to 37km/h.

“The course out there is pretty hilly so it’s an added bonus when I get to these beach courses where it’s dead flat.

“At the Sunshine Coast my aim will be to come out of the water in the lead group and hang on to their tails in the ride before running as hard as I can on the last leg.”

Rodgers admitted juggling his year 12 studies and training is a challenge.

“But some of the local sporting groups have been great,” he said.

“I ride with the ‘World Cup’ crew each Tuesday where we ride about 20 kilometres from West Wodonga down towards Barnawartha and then race back, on Friday I run with the Border Bolters — a 12-kilometre run around Nail Can Hill at a nice pace.”

But his greatest praise is for his family and coach.

“Mum and dad have taken me all over the state and beyond, and spent most weekends in the past 12 months at a triathlon,” Rodgers said.

“And my sister comes, takes photos, and is always somewhere near the finish line to urge me on.

“My grandparents come to the races, too — they are travelling to Queensland for the nationals.

“And my coach Kel Rook is now a huge part of my life — we talk daily, re-assess where we are at after each training session.”

This is Nathan Rodgers’ first nomination for the Norske Skog Young Achievers Award.