DAVID Brown, a coach at Kingsteignton Swimming Pool, has recently returned from Australia where he was competing at the Multisport World Championships.

Duathlon is his specialty and it is the event in which he represents Great Britain, finishing sixth in the 40-45 age category. In total, there were roughly 300 people involved in the race in Townsville, Queensland and it is made more intriguing because “You race altogether and you don’t know who is in your category.”

The event begins with a 5k run, followed by a 20k cycle and then it is rounded out by a 2.5k run, so despite being a swimming coach, there is no action in the pool involved in David’s primary event. He labelled the duathlon as more difficult than the triathlon due to the fact that “You’re getting on the bike and going as hard as you can after smashing yourself on that 5k run- the run is on your PB pace or not far off- it’s a little bit more brutal.”

KIngsteignton resident David Brown, medal winner from the multi-sport world championships held in Australia
KIngsteignton resident David Brown, medal winner from the multi-sport world championships held in Australia (Steve Pope/MDA)

Between having a hernia operation back in April and getting covid since returning from Australia, it has been a disrupted schedule. Brown was “Against the clock in terms of trying to get ready”, first he “wasn’t sure if [he] was going to make it” and then he didn’t have particularly high hopes, making a sixth-place finish all the more impressive.

Next year’s event is in Pontevedra, Spain, which David now automatically qualifies for due to finishing in the top ten of his category, and top three of all Brits.

David spoke of owing a lot of his success to coach Phil Wylie. Wylie began coaching him in 2020, just before lockdown, and under his tutelage, he has risen from a non-GB athlete to 6th in the world. “I bumped into him at a race in Exeter and he offered to coach me with the aim of getting into the GB team” which is exactly what has happened, last month’s trip to Australia being his fourth GB event (two World Championships and two European Championships).

David Brown in running action for GB
David Brown in running action for GB (Contributed)

Talking of the European Championships and the Kingsteignton local has a qualifier at Hever Castle in Kent later this month, for next year’s event in Poland in April.

As well as that, David told us that he will be doing Dawlish triathlon soon, “As I like to do a few local ones”, even joking that “there’s pressure with everyone trying to beat him” as he has won the last couple of years.

Finally to his experience down under and it was a first trip to Australia to remember. “It was an effort to get there but it was definitely worth it” and the people “were so friendly and happy” as well as “really well organized.”