Australian triathlon star Melissa Hauschildt showed she has the grit to be a Hawaiian Ironman world title contender with a dramatic win in Melbourne.
The blisters on her feet became so painful that she had to stop late in the marathon at Sunday's Ironman Asia-Pacific championships.
As some of the world's best competitors closed in, Hauschildt sat down, took off her shoes and socks and coated her aching feet in vaseline.
The treatment did not ease the pain, but the 31-year-old rallied to score her second Ironman-distance title and book her Hawaiian debut this October.
The alternative was having to do another Ironman triathlon to validate the Hawaiian entry.
"They (feet) were still killing, but I didn't want to do another one of these in a few weeks," Hauschildt said.
"I was just like 'snap out of it - the vaseline will help, it will help'.
"I just gritted my teeth and got back to pace."
Swiss defending champion Caroline Steffen cut her lead from three minutes to one during Hauschildt's pit stop.
But the ex-distance runner held off Steffen's charge to win the 3.8km swim, 180km cycle and 42.2km run race in eight hours 52 minutes 51 seconds.
She and inaugural men's champion Craig Alexander are the only Australian winners since the race started in 2012.
And Hauschildt made it clear she is not going to her first Hawaiian Ironman just for the experience.
"Obviously, I'm going to be on the start line trying to win the thing - at least podium, that's the goal," she said.
There was more drama as Dutch star Yvonne Van Vlerken passed a fading Steffen in the finishing straight for second place, six minutes behind Hauschildt.
Steffen collapsed at the finish and was taken away for medical treatment.
"It's a very bad plan to sprint after nine hours," a shattered Van Vlerken said.
Three-time Hawaiian champion Mirinda Carfrae, who finished seventh, said Hauschildt will be a big threat this October.
"It's March and I'm in March shape," said Carfrae, who was happy with her performance.
"Mel's a phenomenal athlete ... she's a competitor and she wants to win.
"Any time you have someone like that, who's a champion already, you know they're going to step up to play with the big girls.
"I expect nothing less of Mel - it's one more girl who I have to think about and I will use for motivation."
Canadian Jeff Symonds had a phenomenal run, charging from more than 12 minutes down after the bike to win the men's title.
It is his first win at this race and his third Ironman-distance win.
Symonds won in 8:04:29, with leading Australian Tim Van Berkel second in 8:07:57.
Two-time Olympian Brad Kahlefeldt took third with 8:09:21 in his Ironman debut.
Australian Annabel Luxford also shone in her first Ironman - she was second off the bike behind Steffen before fading late in the run to sixth place.
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