Triathlon
Russell in fine form

By Liam Moakes 23/08 Updated: 23/08 16:34

WHILST all eyes have been on the Olympics, Bromsgrove and Redditch Athletic Club member Helen Russell has had an excellent run of results.

As London 2012 was getting underway, Russell sped to victory at the People’s Sprint Triathlon in Whitchurch, Shropshire. She posted the fastest women’s time in all three disciplines and even beat the majority of the male athletes to finish fourth overall.

It was a tougher field two weeks later at the Worthing Sea Triathlon, which was a qualification race for the 2013 European Triathlon Championships. Being a qualification race the event attracted the country’s best amateur triathletes, all hoping to secure their place on the Great Britain team.

The competitors lined up along the sea front at Goring on Sea for the swim. Russell had a very disappointing start after being taken slightly off course by the strong tide, which meant she exited the water eighth overall, leaving her with a lot of work to do.

She had a smooth transition and powered her way through the field on the bike course, which took the athletes into hills of the South Downs and a quick second transition meant Russell entered the final run along the promenade in second place.

Unfortunately she was overtaken in the first half of the run but managed to hold onto third place overall to claim a bronze medal.

Russell needed to finish in the top four in her age category (35-39) to qualify but the third place over all the age categories means that she easily qualified for next year’s European Championship.

The season is now drawing to a close for Russell. She has two remaining races, including the British Triathlon Relay Championships.