Triathlon triumph
Pupils’stamina put to test
Hundreds of West Lothian school children experienced their first taste of triathlon.
More than 700 pupils from 29 schools across the authority took part in a fully equipped mini- triathlon event held recently at Deans Community High School.
The keen pupils, aged 9- 12, completed a 50m swim, a 1000m cycle and a 500m run to the finish line to collect their medal.
The event was jointly organised by West Lothian’s Ac t i v e S chools and Community Sport service and Triathlon Scotland, the national governing body for triathlon in Scotland.
GRC Triathlon club and West Lothian Triathlon club volunteer coaches supported the event and were on hand to lend their expertise and encouragement to all participants.
Many of the coaches had been in the schools in the weeks prior to the event to deliver taster sessions to prepare the pupils for the big day.
As well as competing in the triathlon, children also took part in a range of additional sporting activities such as cycling, Highland Games and athletics, delivered by Sustrans, West Lothian College students and staff from the Active Schools and Community Sports service.
The event was lauded a huge success by Paul Stark, Sports Facilities, Active Schools and Community Sport Manager, who said: “I would like to thank everyone who made the West Lothian Schools’ Triathlon such a fantastic event.
“Special mention should go to all the volunteers that supported the event and to Deans Community High School for being such welcoming hosts. Their S3 pupil volunteers were a credit to the school and helped ensure that all 700 plus children had a very positive first experience of triathlon.”
A number of further key partners also supported the event including: Ka t i e R o b i n s f rom Sustrans ( Armadale), and sponsorship from Morrisons through their Community Champions Programme and Fyffes bananas.