Angela Sandral shares her journey from Osborne netballer to a place on the Ironman podium

Angela Sandral took out the Hume league's best-and-fairest during her time at Osborne and spent three years in the Riverina Academy of Sport.

She carried her form to Ungarie, winning three premierships in a row and was again voted the competition's top player.

But the former Corowa-Rutherglen player has pushed herself to even greater heights since taking up triathlon.

Sandral, 36, recently finished third in her age group at the Asia-Pacific Ironman Championship in Cairns, completing the gruelling course - a 3.86km swim, 180km bike ride and 42km run - in 10 hours 34 minutes 40 seconds.

That podium placing earned Sandral a qualifying berth for the Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, although COVID restrictions will keep her in Australia.

However, the enormity of the achievement hasn't been lost.

"I really don't think of myself as a good triathlete - I'm a battler," Sandral said.

"Qualifying for the World Championships, it's a pity I can't get there but it's pretty cool knowing the work I've put in has paid off.

"There's no guarantees I'll ever qualify again but I would love to do another Ironman at some stage."

Sandral, who suffered a serious knee injury during her time with the Roos, decided to focus on triathlon after giving birth to son Josh.

"I realised I could train at any time and I was at less risk of getting injured," Sandral said.

"My brother bought me a $10 bike from a garage sale and convinced me to give it a go.

"In my first triathlon, my chain came off and I came second-last.

"I thought I was a better swimmer than my brother but when I looked across in the lake, he was right there and I was like 'what the heck?'

"But I like the process. When you start a new program and your fitness isn't that great and then you see the improvements, there's something satisfying about that.

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"There is a fair mental component.

"You see people who have obviously prepared to the nth degree and they look so fit but they're actually starting to walk and really struggling.

"Then you'll see these other people who you wouldn't pick - and sometimes I'm one of them - but they're shuffling by those other people.

"You learn more from your failures than you do from when it all goes well.

"In Cairns, a couple of years ago, I did the full Ironman and didn't prepare properly.

"I ended up walking, dehydrated but to be able to get through that, you look back and go 'gee, I was able to muster something and be stronger there.'"

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