Success for Guernsey athlete on the world stage

Wednesday 25 July 2018

A Guernsey-woman was the first Briton home in the recent ITU Multi - Sport Age - Group World Championships in Fyn, Denmark.

Andrea Nightingale narrowly missed out on a podium place but her continued success in the 55 - 59 year old category saw her finish the course in 4.35:12.

She completed a three kilometre swim and 120km cycle as part of Team GB in good times. Her swim was completed in 54.34 which put her in second place out of the water with her then completing the bike section in three hours and 37 minutes.

She missed out on a podium place by just 49 seconds on this occasion, which was her first Aquabike race.

Mrs Nightingale said she was, "of course, delighted and amazed that I was the first GB athlete home but was gutted to be so close to a place on the podium. Coming fourth is the pits.  I had no idea where I was in the race as it was non-drafting so you are racing the clock and hoping your time is quicker than the other competitors."

"The USA team dominated this age group and obviously trained together.  They were so quick on the bike but I was really pleased to split them as they would have had the top six places," she said.

Mrs Nightingale is already looking forward to her next race and will use this experience to spur her on. 

"I have learnt so much. Staying in a TT position for more than three and a half hours is really hard on the shoulder and neck muscles so that’s something to work on. Could I have found those 49secs? Probably if I had known earlier in the race but I had nothing left when I crossed the line so I know deep down I had done the best I could against the opposition on the day."

As the first Briton home, Mrs Nightingale has pre-qualified for the Worlds in Pontevedra, Spain in May 2019.

The Ravenscroft - sponsored triathlete’s next race is the World Championship Road Race in the Italian Alps and then on to the Gold Coast for the Olympic Distance Triathlon before finishing her season in Jersey representing Ravenscroft in the corporate team event at the Super League Triathlon.