JOHN Peacock won sprint duathlon gold in his age category at the World Triathlon Duathlon Championships in Ibiza, Spain.
The Stratford-upon-Avon Athletic Club member triumphed in the M70 to 74 age group having also won gold at the European Triathlon and Duathlon Championships near Venice, Italy in March.
A 5k run, 20k bike ride and final 2.5k run awaited Peacock and his fellow competitors in what proved to be a tactical race as the Stratford athlete finished just behind the two favourites after the first run.
And despite a fall at the water stop, Peacock picked himself up as he battled for the lead with Canadian Ralph Didier Feurer.
Peacock attempted to speed away from his closest challenger but was soon closed down by Feurer who opened up a 15-second lead during the bike leg after the former was hampered in transistion.
However, with Peacock content to settle for silver, Feurer inexplicably went the wrong way up the finish chute rather than completing the last lap.
This allowed Peacock to pass Feurer and win by 45 seconds with the latter only able to come home in fourth place.
Husband and wife Rich and Ceri Shephard also competed in the race and were separated by six minutes as the former managed the fastest bike split in his age category.
Rich came home fifth in his age category whilst Ceri was sixth as the pair finished in the top-three British athletes in their age groups to secure pre-qualification for next year’s World Championships in Australia.
In the 50 to 54 age group, Fern Hordern finished in 14th place over the standard distance which comprised a 9.8k run, 39.6k bike ride and 5.2k run with splits of 45 mins 18 secs, 1 hr 15 mins 36 secs and 26 mins 28 secs.
Closer to home, Kate Wright smashed the all-time British record in the F60 age category at the Milton Keynes Marathon.
Wright’s time of 3 hrs 3 mins and 14 secs was more than eight minutes quicker than the previous record and was the fastest time this year in her age category by more than 25 minutes.
However, Wright was frustrated at failing to finish inside the three-hour mark despite comfortably securing qualification for the England Masters marathon in October.
Stratford members Clare Weatherhead and Graham Hill also completed the full marathon and finished in identical times of 4 hrs 18 mins and 15 secs.
And Stratford had two age category winners in the half marathon as Richard Dobedoe topped the V55 category in a time of 1 hr 26 mins 29 secs to finish in 19th place.
Father and son duo Tim and Fin Hutchinson finished in identical times of 1 hr 23 mins 25 secs as the former (11th) won the V50 age category and the latter (12th) set a new personal best over the distance.
