By Iain Blackwood – Sports Editor
Two Scots helped Great Britain win the ETU Triathlon European Mixed Junior Relay Championships in Pontevedra today (Sunday 26 June). The team of four competing in North West Spain comprised Scotstoun’s Marc Austin and Cameron Milne, from Kinross alongside England’s Maddy Winzer and Lucy Hall.
Each triathlete completed a 200m swim, 8km bike ride and 2km run before tagging their team-mate in for their leg.University of Stirling Mathematics student Milne was second to go, leaving Austin with the honour of crossing the finishing line to take the team gold, with Germany second and Belgium third.
It was an excellent finish to an impressive weekend’s racing for 17-year-old Austin on his GB international debut, having already finished 13th in the Men’s Junior race on Friday, less than a minute behind German race winner Justus Nieschlag.
Austin said: “Winning the relay is a great way to finish off the weekend and to have two Scots in the winning team is even better. It has been a brilliant experience and I was pleased with my performance on Friday too given that I’ve never raced at this level before.
He said: “On Friday I didn’t have the best starting position in the swim, but I managed to go round the outside and came out of the water in the chasing group. I had to avoid a few crashes on the bike leg then I just went for it on the run. It was hard, but the crowd spurred me on and it was really good experience for my first ever event with Great Britain.”
In the same race, Milne finished 32nd while Hamilton’s Grant Sheldon was forced out while going strongly following a crash on the bike leg, picking up a shoulder injury in the process. In the elite senior race, Irvine’s David McNamee played his part in helping GB take gold and silver in a dramatic race. The 23-year-old finished 45th overall, but put together a strong swim and bike leg to position the Brits in contention for medals, won by the Brownlee brothers Alistair and Jonathan.
In the paratriathlon events, Jane Egan, from Kilbarchan in Renfrewshire, continued her stunning form as she retained her Tri 1 European title.
