WEST DEVON athlete Emily Attfield had a superb result in the South West Junior Duathlon Championships held at Castle Coombe race track in Wiltshire. 

The weather would test most of the athletes to the maximum with freezing conditions, wind and a scattering of hailstones thrown in for good measure. 

Emily competed in the Tristar three race — a continuous 1800m run, 9km cycle and a final 800m run.  It was a tough race with the weather going from bad to worse.  Emily, who trains with Tavistock Athletic Club, was off to a good start in the first run coming into transition in a good time for the bike leg. 

The cycling element was very testing and it showed, with the wind catching the bike at various sections of the race track.  She stayed ahead of her rivals for the first two laps and was just overtaken on the final 200m to come into transition for the final run in second place. 

Knowing that she had to pull the stops out in the last 800m, she ran exceptionally well overhauling her rival after 400m and pulled away to win by more than 30 seconds to become of Junior South West Duathlon Champion 2011.