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Texas 'Tex' Dixon
How do you stay motivated and push yourself in training?
Staying motivated to push yourself at training every day isn’t easy. However, with the constant pursuit of excellence which every elite athlete has in desire to be the best at what they do, it makes it easier during training to push yourself as you know it'll get you one step closer to your goals and hopefully be on that top step when crunch time comes around.
Many athletes have pre-game rituals that help them get into the zone. What are some of your personal pre-game rituals or routines that you believe help you get in the zone before hitting the beach or pool?
I don’t buy into pre-game rituals too much, I like to keep things very basic. All I do before a race is try and stay calm, put my headphones in and listen to some Eminem to get me in the zone. When I’m on the start line prior to any race I just look out at the ocean with the conditions ahead of me and take some deep breaths to ground myself.
Reflecting on your career so far, what would you consider as the most memorable or defining moment?
Looking back at all the things I’ve done to date, it’s been a roller coaster of results but what I think is the most defining moment was winning the Open Board title at Aussies. It was the race where everything came together and a build up of all the hard work I’ve put in over the years. It was one of those moments that builds that belief inside that you really can do it and to win it as the second youngest to do so (behind Trevor Hendy) it really is amazing and still hasn’t set in.
Are there any specific achievements or milestones that you are particularly proud of and that you feel have significantly impacted your journey as an athlete?
Other than my Australian Title, there have been a lot of achievements along the way that have significantly impacted my journey as an athlete. It all started when I got a sliver at Aussies in the U15 board race that really got the fire in the belly to train my arse off and take things to the next level. From then on I’ve achieved 2x State Board Race titles (U17&U19), 5x QLD Open State Endurance Board titles (2018,19,20,21&22), 12th in the Open Ironman Final at Aussies 2022 winning the Dean Mercer Perpetual Award (Youngest person in the Iron final) as a first year open. Achieving all of these along with some fantastic results in team events with my mates has left me hungry to see what else I can do in the sport in the future.
Beyond your athletic pursuits, do you have any hobbies or passions that might surprise people?
Outside of surf I have other hobbies I enjoy along with spending time with my mates. I’m a die hard Richmond supporter who’s really into AFL SuperCoach and Fantasy. I also really love my golf which I try to get out on the course on the weekends with my mates when we aren’t racing. I’m heavily into Hip Hop and listen to it nonstop, along with listening to it I also make my own music dropping rhymes on the regular.
How do you balance your intense training and competition schedule with personal interests outside of your sport?
It’s tough balancing my training and racing with my personal interests and other commitments but I’m lucky enough to have a lot of help by my family to fit everything in. I’m lucky enough to have a job where I work “the athlete shift” from 10-3 during the week so I can train in the mornings and afternoons and outside of that majority of my mates also do surf so we tend to hang out on the weekends or in the evenings during the week.
What are your top 3 ENGINE products (either for racing or training)?
My top 3 Engine products that are must haves at your disposal are the Club Cuts. I’m a huge advocate for them whether that’s wearing them in the pool or at the beach they don’t disappoint and also come in an array of colours. The Iron Jammers are the upper echelon of swimwear when it comes to Ironman racing, they provide the performance you need in their design with the flexibility to not hold you back when you’re out there. The Shredskins are an all rounder when it comes to swimwear providing the comfort, compression and style with the wide range of colours to pick from in a long lasting jammer.
