Wight Tri’s Liz Dunlop kicked off her season in style last Sunday (30th March), securing an impressive age group victory at the Ayia Napa Standard Triathlon in Cyprus.
Returning for her 4th appearance at the event, Liz, 68, opted to compete in the standard distance after tackling the middle-distance race last year. Despite feeling her run training was not at its peak, she delivered a performance to remember, crossing the finish line in 2:48:42—10 seconds faster than her last attempt at this distance two years ago.
Her swim and first transition (T1) time combined to an impressive 28:48, cutting over two minutes from her previous best. She followed it up with a strong bike and second transition (T2) split of 1:26:02, just one second shy of her personal best. A 53:51 run rounded off her race, securing her first place in the 50+ age group, finishing nearly 15 minutes ahead of her closest competitor.
Not only did Liz dominate her category, but she also placed 17th out of 38 female competitors, proving that age is no barrier to success. Remarkably, she was the oldest female competitor in the race.
Liz’s strong winter training in Cyprus appears to have paid dividends. She now turns her focus to her next challenge—the Applemore Sprint Triathlon on Sunday (27th April), where she will compete alongside fellow Wight Tri members.
