Gold and bronze medal success at European Championships

championship, the first having been won 11 years ago.

“This event, however, was made extra special by being able to watch Alice race - and podium - in the elite middle-distance championship,” added Alice.

“Unfortunately the glorious weather we had experienced for our own race broke down on Alice’s race day and competitors had to put up with a delayed start and course changes due to thunder, lightning and flooding, but she handled the chaos with calm and good humour and treated us to a very exciting competition.”

Other STC athletes competing in the Aquathlon were Sam Burton (fourth in the 16-19 male category); his mother Elspeth Burton (17th in the 50-54 female age group) and Doug Wood (sixth in the 70- 74 males). Doug won silver in the World Aquathlon Championships in Denmark in July.

In 2017, Stirling University student Phoebe won gold in the 16-19 age group and a club spokesperson said her positivity and experience was particularly inspirational for teenagers Sam Burton and Tom Graham-Marr.

He said: “Her cheerful attitude was especially impressive after enduring illness which had prevented her from competing since last year’s triumph. With no recent racing experience to gauge her performance capability she wasn’t sure how her first competition in the 20-24 age group would go and so it was very exciting to see her race strongly and win a very well deserved bronze medal. She stepped on to the podium with a