Harry (left) and Jack in Lisbon

Exeter students excel at European Triathlon Championships

Two students from the University of Exeter Triathlon Club competed in the European triathlon age group championships in Lisbon on Sunday 29 May. First year student, Harry Preston, and Athletic Union President, Jack Bristow, competed in the standard distance race in the 18-19 and 20-24 age groups respectively.

The race took place in the Parque das Naçõas and consisted of a 1500m open water swim in a dock off the river Tagus followed by a 40km cycle along a wide, fast, and predominantly flat course. The race finished with a 10km run round four laps of a course passing through and finishing in the MEO arena.

Both students had very good races achieving high place finishes in their age groups. Jack finished 4^th in the 20-24 age group race with a time of 2:02:37 while Harry won bronze in the 18-19 age group with a time of 2:09:50. Both of them also were in the top three Brits for their age groups, securing pre-qualification slots for next year’s European championships in Kitzbuhl, Austria.

Triathlon club captain, Ollie Teenan, said, “It's really fantastic for the club to have 2 athletes represent us at such a high level, and a fantastic result for both of our athletes!”

Jack Bristow added, “This has been a fantastic year for the triathlon club and the results in Lisbon really highlight how far the club has come in the last few years. I’m looking forward to continuing my triathlon development beyond university”.

The University of Exeter has been awarded The Times and The Sunday Times Sports University of the Year 2016, following significant investment and development over the past 10 years. The University has also achieved a Global 100 ranking in the Times Higher Education World University Rankings. The prestigious rankings, which mean Exeter retains its position as best in the South West, take into account a wide range of factors, including student satisfaction and research excellence. 

Date: 9 June 2016