A TAVISTOCK primary school teacher won a World Aquathlon Championships title, which incorporates running and swimming.

Sam Lake, who teaches seven-to-11-year-olds at Tavistock Primary School, scooped the female 40-44 title at the ITU World Triathlon Multisport Championships in Samorin, Slovakia, beating elite and younger competitors.

Sam, who is an experienced amateur endurance athlete with many notable achievement behind her, said: ‘I raced in the aquathlon, which is a 1,000m swim in the river Danube. It was lovely and warm – 24 degrees – so no wetsuits needed.

‘Then we had to run down steep steps and a bridge into a very hot 35-degree run, which was 5,000 metres.’

Sam saw off many elite professional athletes by coming fifth overall.