The 21-year-old who bases himself in Canberra set up the win with a 20-minute swim, and stormed home with the fastest run leg of the day to seal victory.

Kastelein finished 21 seconds ahead of Queenslander Nicholas Hull to take overall and men’s honours.

Hull led early in the final sector, and Kastelein said catching his opponent had been hard work.

“Myself and Nicholas [Hull] were off the bike pretty much head to head and he surged out of transition, and it took half a lap to catch him and just bridge that gap,” Kastelein said.

“Then on the second lap I just surged halfway out down the hill and Nicholas didn’t say with me.

“Credit to him though, he’s really strong competition.”

Kastelein did a time of 20 minutes for the 1.5km swim, 57.30 for the 40km cycle leg and 34.59 for the 10km run, a total time of 1.52.31.

Kastelein had a slight advantage over some of the other competitors because he trains with the Australian Institute of Sport triathlon squad.

“It helps knowing the course and training the course. It’s definitely a big advantage.”

Kastelein, who broke the Mudgee Triathlon Club’s club record in December, said he was motivated to do well because of the amount of personal support he had in the crowd.

His father Nick Snr said Nicholas’ performance was something special.

“I sort of had a feeling something major was going to happen,” Nick Snr said.

“He has been training hard and producing fast times, particularly his run times.”

Nicholas has now been granted a professional license and will race in the National elite series.

His first race of the series will be on Sunday, February 7 in Caloundra and then on February 28 in Raby Bay, Queensland.

Nicholas will then contest the Triathlon Oceania Championships in Wellington, New Zealand on March 14.

After the domestic season Nicholas will base himself in Spain and race throughout Europe with the NSW Institute of Sport squad.

Nicholas was not the only Mudgee Red Devil to compete in Canberra. Fellow club members Michael Sharp and Alex Ghanem raced as well.

Ghanem finished 203rd overall in a time of 2.28.55 (swim 37.27, cycle 1.07.10, run 44.17) and Sharp 282nd with a time of 2.46.20 (swim 36.14, cycle 1.15.32, run 54.33).