Two years of gruelling preparation paid off for Grantham triathlete Patrick Cutmore, when the teenager scooped gold in a European championships.
Patrick, 19, raced to glory in the under-20 section of the Triathlon Standard Distance European Championships in Turkey, finishing six minutes ahead of his nearest rival.
His performance was all the more remarkable because he was the only athlete in his age group to go sub one hour on the bike (58 minutes) and one of only a few across the GB team.
Patrick said of his win: “I was over the moon coming first and, after the intense training regime I’ve followed, it’s fantastic that it’s really paid off.”
The result means he can now compete in Elite triathlons.
Stefan Lawrence of TriSL training has been working with Patrick for two years and the athlete attributes his success to this partnership.
“It’s really given me the confidence now to forge ahead with my racing and competing in world events.”