Liz shares this latest report on behalf of Wight Tri. Ed
Huge congratulations to Wight Tri member and IW Talented Athlete sponsored athlete, Jan Fletcher on a super race at the English National Championships at the Bedford Sprint Triathlon.
As this was also the final qualifier for the 2020 European Age Group Sprint Championships in Malmo, Sweden, it was well loaded with the top age group triathletes.
Swim, cycle and run
The swim was held at the Boxend water sports lake, outside Bedford, with the swimmers following the 750m loop around the water skiing course, followed by a 20km cycle route around the winding country roads. A tough off-road 5km run completed the course.
Fortunately with an early start, the weather gods were kind to the early waves, and Jan’s event was mainly held in almost perfect conditions, although with a slight headwind on the bike.
Seventh place
Jan had a solid swim in 14:50, to exit the lake in 9th position in her age group.
A quick transition onto the bike, where she showed her strength and posted the fifth fastest bike split in her age group of 36:10, moving up into eighth position, but also closing in on the faster swimmers.
With a super fast run of 23:20, Jan finished in an overall timed of 1:16:36 to take a brilliant seventh position from 25 in the 40-44 age group.
Jan to represent Team GB
However, as this was also the final qualification for the 2020 ETU European Age Group Sprint Championships in Malmo, Sweden, she took the third qualifier slot for the 45-49 category and will represent Team GB in her first sprint triathlon event.
Jan has already earned her first GB kit this year at the European Standard Distance Triathlon in Weert in June this year and has also qualified for the 2020 ITU World Age Group Standard Distance Triathlon in Canada.
