About Us

After a life of competitive swimming and elite triathlon following our own paths, Grace and I met in 2016 in the most appropriate of places - the swimming pool. Our desire to be ahead in the lane meant we were far from a love at first sight story but once we settled the debate over a couple of tough sets we eventually began talking to each other and were soon sharing our stories with each other. It quickly became apparent we had a lot in common - we had both started competitive swimming from a young age and had made our way to the pointy end of the sport competing in national finals before making the decision to switch sports and finding some quick success in triathlon.

Our relationship blossomed as we travelled the world racing both together and on opposite sides of the globe all the while bonding over our love of the sport. Throughout the years it became apparent our views on triathlon were very similar. We both valued skill development and having a good work/life/triathlon/family balance. Something we continue to make a priority today. 

Founded in 2017, JT Multisport was built on the foundations of our love for the sport of triathlon & for each other. We strive to provide an environment that puts the focus back on the athlete. Based in Canberra and offering online individualised coaching, our squad has grown to include a diverse and highly experienced coaching team who cater for all athletes from first timers to some of the best in the world.

James Thorp

Co Founder & HeAD COACH

Primary location - Canberra, ACT

Special interests - Development of jnr, U23 and elite draft legal and non draft athletes. Injury management particularly athlete’s with prior history of bone stress.

Coaches have always played a huge role in my life. They have been a guiding light, an inspiration and have shaped the person I am today. It was my relationships with my coaches that inspired me, a sixteen-year-old aspiring tennis player to begin coaching younger players. The thrill of watching them improve moved me to grow my coaching and upon completing my own career as a division 1 US college tennis player, and obtaining a bachelor of science in Exercise Science, I took the position of assistant women’s tennis coach at the University of Toledo in Ohio.

During my time in Toledo, I shifted my own sporting focus to competing in triathlon while pursuing a master’s degree in Exercise Physiology. In August 2013 I had the honour of winning a USA Triathlon National Champion jersey over the sprint distance which was the breakthrough I needed to pursue a career as an elite athlete. In 2015 I completed my thesis entitled “The Effects of Normatec Recovery Boots on Cycling Performance.” During this time my love of coaching never wavered and I recruited members of Toledo Triathlon Club to be subjects in my thesis and began coaching and mentoring triathletes of all abilities.

Upon completion of my studies and coaching in the U.S. triathlon took me to France where I joined a French Grand Prix team. Injury soon forced me to return to Australia where I once again took to the tennis courts and began coaching full time while training under the guidance of some of Australia's best coaches.

My interest and knowledge in triathlon coaching was formalised when I completed a Triathlon Australia Level 1 Development Coaching Course. Since then I have completed the Triathlon Australia Performance Coaching Course while steering JTM to some amazing accomplishments- from our coached athletes completing triathlon and endurance sports for the first time to winning multiple world championship gold medals and transitioning to racing and winning professional races. Now based in Canberra, the endurance capital of the world it has become apparent that there is a need for triathlon coaches who are committed to the athletes they coach. I am extremely proud of our JT Multisport family and love continuing to strive for our goal of being the gold standard of triathlon coaching. Whatever your goals in endurance sports, at JT Multisport the athlete comes first.

JT

Credentials

Myles Wood

Assistant Canberra Squad & Online coach

Primary location - Canberra, ACT

Special interests - Injury management and rehab. Bike fitting and bike maintenance.

Sport has always been part of my life and has been incorporated into my day to day from a young age. I grew up playing sports like AFL, basketball and squash. When I was sixteen years old I started coaching the junior squash players at my local club. It was a great experience for me being able to see the younger athletes develop into great players and I took pride in their achievements in the sport.

I met Grace and James in late 2017 while I was studying a Bachelor of Health Science, majoring in Human Movement, at The University of Sydney. Until then I didn’t have a real connection with triathlon - apart from a few Weet-Bix triathlons and school ones. Grace and James encouraged me to give triathlon a go with the goal of going to the triathlon world championships. I started receiving coaching from them at the start of 2019 and moved to Canberra later that year to further my studies with a Master of Physiotherapy at the University of Canberra. I loved every moment of being an athlete under them and they strove to help me accomplish my goal of getting to world champs.  COVID delayed my attempts at getting to world champs until 2022 when I was lucky enough to go to Abu Dhabi and came home with a silver medal in my age group. 

Due to the influence of my great coaches I was inspired to complete my Triathlon Foundation coaching course to help others like myself taking their first steps towards reaching their goals within triathlon and other multisport disciplines. As a qualified physiotherapist I have gained great knowledge, understanding and skills in injury prevention and management and use principles that I have learnt over the years to maximize performance and reduce injury throughout multisport disciplines.

Myles W

Credentials

Grace Thorp (Hoitink)

Co Founder, Assistant Canberra SQuad & Online coach

Primary location - Canberra, ACT

Special interests - Swim technique coaching. Working with athletes through pregnancy, postpartum and those with chronic health issues.

My triathlon journey began when I was 16 years old. I had been a competitive swimmer for eight years prior which saw me compete at a national age and open level, including the 2012 Olympic trials. When I started triathlon, I had no previous cycling or running experience and dedicated myself to acquiring the skills necessary to develop these sports and improve my triathlon quickly.  I had success early on in triathlon competing as an ITU Junior and U23 athlete and gained my professional licence in 2015, which took me all around the world, including Europe, America and Japan.

I began teaching swimming in 2016 after gaining my AUSTSWIM accreditation. I have always been a technician and attribute my success in swimming and triathlon to my attention to detail and skill acquisition. This is something I bring into my teaching and enjoy seeing those I teach master the craft of swimming and build confidence in the water. I work with all ages and abilities from first time swimmers to competitive swimmers and triathletes wanting to improve their performance.

Now based in Canberra I am really looking forward to working closely with swimmers and triathletes of all abilities to help them achieve their swimming goals. 

Grace x

Credentials

Yoann Colin

JTM Online Coach

Primary Location - Gold Coast, QLD

Special interests - RED-S, Running Biomechanics, Marginal Gains

Coming from a family who prioritised education as the pillar to success, sport was always something I did on the side to blow off a bit of steam. However being annoyingly competitive with the morning laps we were forced to do at a before school care program, meant I unknowingly built a little run base from a run age. With all who have seen me handle a ball knowing how shockingly uncoordinated I was, the school run coach soon advised me to join the program. This is where my love for running and later endurance sports begun.

I took a few years off to go all in on academics from Year 10-12 but decided after too many months of partying at uni that it was time to do something about the dad bod at uni. Through Tom Driscoll a fellow JTM triathlete, I begun triathlon and later came across James and Grace. Having got to know James initially through teaching him a little bit of French (yes add that to his many talents) and learning about his training philosophies, it was almost a no brainer for me to join the JTM family. From then I was hooked. Over 4 and a bit years, James took me to an AG world championships podium and a professional continental cup top 10.

Alongside following my passion, I’m now a coach for JT Multisport. Having been under the tutelage of James for many years, we created an amazing partnership through the highs and lows that the sport exposes us to. Now a pro triathlete myself, I’m really excited to pass on what I’ve learned to anyone wanting to get healthy, happy and optimise their performance.

YC

Credentials

Ellie Hoitink

JTM ONLINE coach

Primary Location - Brisbane, QLD

Special interests - Load management in older athletes, running biomechanics & learn to swim/swim stroke development.

Endurance sports have always been a huge part of my life. Growing up a successful junior swimmer, my attentions turned to triathlon at age 11 before having quick success in the Australian youth and junior triathlon series culminating in selection to represent Australia at junior world championships. My love of triathlon saw me first turn to coaching in high school when I began swim coaching at the Australian Institute of Sport progressing to supervisor level and overseeing the progression of young swimmers improving their water safety or looking to swim at a squad level.

My triathlon journey then took me to Queensland where I have been fortunate enough to work with some of Australia’s best coaches while representing Australia twice at the U23 world championships and progressing towards WTCS racing. Working with a number of great coaches throughout my own triathlon career has motivated me to step into a coaching role through the JT Multisport swim technique program while back in Canberra and has allowed me the opportunity to learn from many different coaching styles.

I am excited to continue my coaching journey and help athletes of all ages and abilities chase their goals and accomplish things they didn’t think possible.

Ellie x

Credentials