Sarah Terry of Belvoir Tri Club wins a bronze medal at the World Triathlon Championships in Torremolinos
Sarah Terry has been celebrating winning a medal on the global stage.
Terry became a World Aquabike bronze medallist at the World Triathlon Championships in Torremolinos in the 45-49 age-group at the event.
She finished the aquabike in an overall time of 1hr41min29sec.
“It was a very last-minute thing,” said Terry, who is from Long Bennington near Grantham. “I wasn’t even sure I was going.
“But a few days before, I managed to get everything sorted so that I could go.
“I had no expectations at all. I just wanted to go and, as long as I gave my all and did my best, I was going to be happy with that.
“I had no thoughts that I would win a medal. When I did, I didn’t believe it.
“Some people said afterwards ‘Well done on your medal’ and I said ‘Oh no, I think you have got the wrong person!’.
“I was really pleased. It was my first World Championship and it was an incredible experience.
“To see so many people from all around the world, that was an incredible experience. Now, I just want to do it even more! I loved it.”
Terry only started competing in triathlons in 2023 and had never been involved in a sea swim before she did battle with other athletes from across the world in southern Spain.
“I learnt to swim, I would say, two years ago,” said the 48-year-old, who has also qualified for the 2025 Europe Triathlon Duathlon Championships which are due to take place in Poland in April.
“Last year, I just started competing. That’s when I qualified for this event when I got a Q1.
“The year before last, it took me a year to swim and just get used to that, really.
“It was then the coaches that said ‘You’re not bad on the bike and getting pretty good at swimming’. In the triathlon world, that’s pretty quick, isn’t it?
“Because I got a medal, I automatically qualify for next year’s event in Australia. This year, I did my first sprint triathlon and I have qualified for the World Sprint Distance Triathlon Championships, which will be in Australia, as well. So, I’ve got two events in Australia next year.”
Terry - who is a member of the Belvoir Tri Club - enjoys trying the different types of triathlons but admitted: “I have to be careful because of my knees.
“I would love to try longer distances but I have to be careful. The sprints are a bit more suited to me.
“But there’s so many out there, which is great.”
While Terry is thrilled at the prospect of competing at more international competitions, she is on the look-out for sponsors to help support her financially.
She revealed: “You have to sort literally everything yourself. From your tracksuits to flights and accommodation, it’s absolutely everything.
“It’s quite an expensive sport I have discovered. It’s a huge amount of money.
“So, I’d like to find a sponsor and I can work with them to make sure that I’m promoting them.”
Terry also praised the staff at Newark Sports & Fitness Centre where she trains.
She said: “I train six days a week. They’re brilliant staff, they’re very supportive.
“I just want to thank them because they’re so supportive of me.”
You can email Terry at sarahterry2255@gmail.com if you’re interested in sponsoring her.
Lisa Udall and Anne Walton were also representing Belvoir Tri Club in the World Triathlon Championships in Spain.
Udall took on the aquabike standard distance final and finished in a respective 15th position in the world for her 40-44 age group category in a time of 01:54:41.
This was Udall's first international age group sea swim race and, leading up to the event, she had spent time with a friend practicing swimming on the Norfolk coast.
The aim had been to set her up in case it was a choppy sea swim but the water was on calm on the day only a breeze to be felt.
Udall commented: "Running into the sea from a beach start after the hearing the drum beats made it all surreal.
"It took me a few minutes to catch my breath but I was soon swimming past other competitors and finished the swim in a better time than I had planned.
"Now I have something to build on for the European Championships for next year in Istanbul."
Walton had started her race earlier, competing in the standard distance triathlon.
It consisted of the same 1500 metre sea swim and 40k bike course as the aquabike but with an additional 10k run.
She finished in 02:53:33 which placed her as seventh British finisher out of 53 ladies in the World Triathlon Championships.