Melton athlete Bex Rimmington selected for four-strong global triathlon team

Prolific Melton sportswoman Bex Rimmington has landed one of just four places in an ambitious global triathlon team.
Bex Rimmington was our sports personality of the year in 2011 EMN-180425-151735002Bex Rimmington was our sports personality of the year in 2011 EMN-180425-151735002
Bex Rimmington was our sports personality of the year in 2011 EMN-180425-151735002

Bex was the only British athlete selected among thousands of applicants, and one of just two women, to join the Specialized Zwift Academy Triathlon Team.

Zwift began their search in February, inviting applications to join ‘the world’s best supported amateur tri team’.

Bex, who now lives in Lancashire, will receive coaching from an expert team, led by British former triathlon world champion Tim Don, to compete at the Ironman World Championships, in Hawaii, in October.

Bex (left) tastes success as a rower at the Henley Regatta EMN-180425-151724002Bex (left) tastes success as a rower at the Henley Regatta EMN-180425-151724002
Bex (left) tastes success as a rower at the Henley Regatta EMN-180425-151724002

“Words cannot even describe how excited I am about this,” she said. “I’m absolutely made-up to be named in the academy.”

The quartet, which also includes Rachael Norfleet, from the United States, Geert Janssens, of Belgium, and German athlete Golo Philippe Röhrken, will receive cutting-edge training equipment and attend a testing session in California.

The 35-year-old spent a few years as a triathlete, having started out as a successful swimmer, and won gold at the European Age Group Triathlon Championships.

She then decided to concentrate on cycling and was selected as a tandem pilot with the British Para-cycling team.

Bex (left) tastes success as a rower at the Henley Regatta EMN-180425-151724002Bex (left) tastes success as a rower at the Henley Regatta EMN-180425-151724002
Bex (left) tastes success as a rower at the Henley Regatta EMN-180425-151724002

Bex spent a stint in rowing after being talent-scouted, but soon returned to two wheels, going on to ride as a professional for women’s cycling team Team WNT last year.

But after a racing crash in the Czech Republic blighted her season, she decided it was time to up the ante still further and dive into ironman long-distance triathlons.

Ironman consists of a 2.4-mile swim, a 112-mile bicycle ride and a full marathon, all to be completed without a break.

“The Ironman and triathlon dream got put on the backburner while I pursued my cycling,” Bex explained.

“But after the crash I had problems with my wrist, and only recently, after surgery, have I been able to put weight through my hand on the bike and pick things up without dropping them.

“I thought long and hard as to what I could do this year to still be competitive and also rehabilitate my hand, so that was when I decided maybe taking that raincheck on the ironman was the right time.

“I have every intention of getting back to bike racing, but I need to make sure I’m 100 per cent right before going back into the peloton.”

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