Delighted by senior championships debut

Triathlon star Olivia Mathias surprised herself with her performance after narrowly missing out on a medal in her first international senior championships.

The 19-year-old, of Fenton, was representing Great Brit-ain in the ETU European Championships in Tartu, Esto-nia.

She was briefly in the bronze medal position during the run, before she was eventually caught and finished fifth.

Mathias crossed the line in 59mins 2secs, just ten seconds off second place.

“I was really pleased with how it went,” she said.

“I didn’t have any expectations of how I would do and wanted to try and make top-ten.

“It was my first senior championships so didn’t know what to expect.

“Everything was close between second, third, fourth and fifth but I can’t be disappointed because I would have taken this position before it started.”

Mathias said she surpassed her expectations and was shocked about her progress through the race.

“I was quite surprised because I didn’t think I had a strong swim,” she said.

“I came out of the water tenth, and then had to really work hard on the bike section.

“When I was near the front of the race in the run I was like: ‘What is going on?’

“Since moving to Lough-borough, all the work I have been doing with my running is now starting to show.”

The race was won by her fellow student at Lough-borough University, Sophie Coldwell.