Optometrist has her eye on the triathlon prize

Olympic success, one woman is about to embark on the trip of a lifetime – to the World Triathlon Championships.

Milngavie optometrist Maggie Darroch (53) became eligible for the championships 50-54 age group when she won a qualifying race at Strathclyde Park earlier in the summer.

Maggie said: “I am terrified and excited at the same time. The heat is my biggest worry with these freckles and red hair, but I just need to go and give it welly!”

Maggie spends her days working as an optometrist for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, based at Stobhill Hospital on the outskirts of Glasgow and her practice in King’s Place.

Her early mornings and evenings are spent training hard for competitions, after taking up the sport eight years ago.

She added: “I was in my mid forties and felt I was getting a bit too old for running so I decided to take up triathlons and I find the mixture of events easier.

“My club, the Glasgow Triathlon Club, were really supportive as I could barely swim when I started.

“The club is really friendly and have given me such a lot of support.”

Now, as the competition nears, Maggie’s thoughts are turning to Mexico and the challenge ahead.

Once she reaches the heat of Cozumel, she will face a gruelling triathlon consisting of a 750m swim (about 30 lengths of an average pool), a 20k cycle and a 5k run.

Her husband Mark is going with her, as her mechanic!

His job is to make sure Maggie’s bike works on the day.

They will also have a few days to relax and enjoy Mexico, before and after the race, so it won’t all be hard work.

Cozumel, Mexico, a familiar ITU World Cup organiser, will join the World Triathlon Series for the first time this year as the site of the Grand Final, which will include aquathlon, age group, junior, and under 23 world championships as well as the final races that will crown the elite men’s and women’s World Champion.