JOHN Peacock won gold at the 2023 Europe Triathlon Duathlon Championships held in the coastal town of Caorle, Italy.
Peacock, who runs for Stratford-upon-Avon Athletic Club, took full advantage of being in his first year as an M70 athlete to win gold in his age category.
He completed the sprint distance triathlon 5k run ahead of the rest of the field in 19 minutes 59 seconds before finishing the 20k bike leg in 39 mins 54 secs – more than two minutes ahead of the second placed rider.
Peacock cleverly tucked in behind a group of younger riders which enabled him to open up a big gap in his age category as he rode at an average speed of more than 21.5mph.
The fast bike leg took its toll as Peacock finished the final 2.5k run in 13 mins 51 secs to be crowned the overall champion in his age group in a combined time of 1 hour 17 mins 29 secs.
Joining Peacock in Italy was fellow Stratford athlete Fern Hordern who competed in the standard distance triathlon which comprised of a 10k run, 40k bike leg and 5k run in the highly competitive F50 to 54 age category.
And Hordern finished a highly credible sixth overall in a time of 2 hours 29 minutes as she ran the first 10k run leg in 43 mins 2 secs, cycled the 40k bike leg in 1 hr 18 mins 22 secs and completed the final 5k run in 25 mins 28 secs.
Closer to home, Stratford had an impressive 12 athletes in action for Warwickshire at the Inter Counties Cross Country Championships held at Prestwold Hall in Loughborough, their highest ever number at the event.
Stratford athletes made up half of the under-20 men’s team as Taylor Stubbins (48th, 31.11), Alex Pester (66th, 31.55), Ned Campbell (99th, 33.13) and Koda Spriggs (155th, 38.19) contributed to a ninth-place finish.
The under-13 girls were up next as Lois Ford made her county debut over the 3km distance and finished 244th in 16.06.
Warwickshire’s under-15 boys team included three Stratford runners as Sam Lambert (103rd, 15.56), Zak Lambert (104th, 15.57) and William Mayes (195th, 16.40) helped the county to a 20th place finish.
The under-17 women’s team placed 19th as Stratford’s Maisie-Joy Spriggs (101st, 23.51), Niamh Hillard (112th, 24.07), Olivia Robinson (171st, 25.05) and Abbi Cooper (211th, 26.31) all took part in the race.
Stratford’s Alex Adams placed seventh in the under-17 men’s race in 20.47 over the 6km course to finish fourth overall in the UK Cross Challenge series of races held over the season.
The under-13 boys team featured four Stratford runners as William Hovell (56th, 13.10), Arthur Williamson (99th, 13.33), Joel Ledgard (101st, 13.35) and Aran Cooper (103rd, 13.37) helped Warwickshire to a ninth-place finish.
Lastly, Stratford’s Charly Marshall finished 11th in the under-17 women’s race.
