World champ eyes Olympic dream at 55

WORLD champion Lisa Parkes hopes to represent Australia in obstacle racing when the sport makes its Olympic debut at the 2028 Los Angeles Games.

The 52-year-old from Byron Bay is the reigning 12km obstacle course world champion, having claimed the title in Costa Rica last year.

She hopes to still be competing when obstacle racing joins the modern pentathlon at the Olympics.

“Who wouldn’t want to be a 55-year-old Olympian,” Parkes said.

“I referee and I’m on the board in Australian obstacle racing, but I’ve made the decision that I would love to compete in it.

“I love it, and I want to be an inspiration and role model to my kids.”

Both of her children have qualified for world championship events in their age groups and have travelled with her to international competitions.

Parkes began her sporting journey as a junior gymnast and has since transitioned into Ninja Warrior and obstacle racing.

The sport involves navigating monkey bars, rope swings, walls, hurdles, cargo nets and mud pits.

Her next event is the YOHKA Obstacle Course Racing 100m World Series, to be held on the Gold Coast from May 23-25.

It will be one of the few opportunities to compete on a course similar to what will be used at the Olympics.

“YOHKA will be a great event and it’s awesome to have those guys on board,” she said.

“What I love about it is that the course is on par with the world championship event.

They have proper ninja elements and great exercises in contrast to it being just about climbing a rope wall or standard monkey bars.”

Parkes, who once ran a Ninja Warrior gym in Byron Bay, is also an exercise physiologist, nutritionist and psychologist who works with spinal cord injury patients.

She is a self-funded athlete and hopes to attract sponsors ahead of the 2024 world championships in Sweden.

“I’ve had accidents and all sorts of setbacks, and this has all been part of my healing journey,” she said.

“The sport is a real metaphor for coping with and overcoming the challenges you face in life.

“Like a lot of people, I’ve dealt with divorce and the loss of parents while also closing a business during floods, fires and the pandemic.

“Everything happens for a reason and I’ve come out the other side feeling inspired to keep pushing myself.”

Anyone wanting to support Lisa Parkes can contact her via lisaparkes.com.au