FOUR athletes from Colchester-based Tri-Spoke Coaching represented Great Britain at the 2018 ITU World Championships, in Odense, Denmark.

The quartet were involved in several age group races, joining 5,000 athletes in the week-long international sports festival that included duathlon, aquathlon, aqua bike, cross triathlon and long-distance triathlon events.

Representing GB in the 30-34 age group for the first time, GP Jennie Stemp, 30, took to the podium in her age group category for the aquabike.

It was a tremendous effort for Stemp, a former county swimmer who only took up cycling seriously three years ago, to win the event – a 3km open water swim followed by a 121km bike ride.

Earlier in the week, she finished in fifth place in the sprint aquathlon, an open-water swim of 1km followed by a 5km run.

Primary school teacher Nicola Glibbery, who represented GB at last year’s championships in Canada, finished 16th in the world in her tough 35-39 age group and 66th out of 181 females in total in the sprint duathlon – a 5.5km run followed by a 19.9km bike ride followed by a 2.5km run.

Great Bentley-based Trevor Back, who first wore his GB age group vest in Rotterdam last September, finished in fourth place in his 50-55 age group category in the aqua bike event.

Finally, Stuart Mills, 40, who competed in the cross triathlon – a mix of open water swimming, off-road mountain biking on an extremely technical course and running – came in a very credible 17th in his age group.

Seven of Tri-Spoke Coaching’s athletes have now qualified to represent GB in their age group categories this year.

Jane Rattle, who set up Tri-Spoke three years ago with Roy Young, a triathlon coach and GB Age Group triathlete, said: “Jennie, Nicola, Stuart and Trevor have been able to fit training in around their busy lives as Roy plans and adapts our all of our athletes personal training schedules at the start of every week.

"Their dedication has paid off and they should be proud with what they have achieved.”

Triathlon is one of the UK’s fastest growing sports.

In the six years from 2009 to 2015, numbers competing increased from 120,000 to more than 200,000, with 24 triathlon events a week alone.