A WINCHESTER vet has qualified for the Ironman World Championship after achieving a podium finish in a challenging competition in Europe.

Rebecca Fellows, a vet at Stable Close Equine Practice in Martyr Worthy near Winchester, came third in Portugal’s Ironman, securing her a place to compete alongside the world’s best triathletes in Hawaii next year.

Competing in the 30-34 years age group in Lisbon, Portugal, she crossed the finish line in 10 hours, 46 minutes and 53 and was 12th overall out of 132 women competing.

Since taking up the sport in 2018, it was Rebecca’s fourth Ironman, which is a long-distance triathlon that starts with a 3.8km (six miles) open-water swim, immediately followed by a 180km (112 mile) bike ride and completed with a marathon of 42.2km (26 miles).

Rebecca said: “My goals in Portugal were a podium finish and to qualify for the World Championship, and I couldn’t be prouder to have achieved both. I was 15 minutes over the time I was aiming for, but the marathon was tough.

“The swim was in beautiful, clear water and the bike ride was fun because it took us round the Portuguese F1 Grand Prix track, but the run was much harder than I’d expected. The route went along the coast and the terrain was very hilly and we were either running up or down.

“Qualifying for Hawaii next October is hugely exciting as it’s the event every triathlete wants to do. It will be an incredible experience, but it’ll also be my toughest challenge yet as it’s known as the world’s worst race in the world’s best place. It’ll be hot, humid and windy, which are gruelling conditions to compete in.”

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Rebecca works with a coach and a nutritionist and trains around 18 hours a week to help her get in peak condition for competitions. She fits in two or three training sessions a day around her busy role as an ambulatory vet for Stable Close Equine Practice, where she visits patients all around the Hampshire area.

She took up running while training to be a vet at Glasgow University, then discovered triathlons after recovering from an injury.  

Rebecca added: “I had an eating disorder when I was at university, and I started running because I wanted to be healthier, and I loved it so much I started doing marathons. When I picked up an injury while training, I had to ease back on the running, so I cycled and swam instead and this led me into the world of triathlons. Then I thought it would be cool to do an Ironman as a challenge as not many women were taking part in them, and I did my first race and became totally hooked.

“What I enjoy most about taking part in Ironman competitions is the personal challenge and part of the appeal is standing on the start line not knowing what’s going to happen. Completing an event like this also helps you think that anything is possible – if I can do this, nothing else can be that difficult.”