PEGGY CROME, a resident of Eggesford enjoyed a recent trip to the gold coast in Australia, where she successfully defended the ITU World Triathlon Championship she won in Vancouver last year.

This year, however, Peggy returned home with two gold medals. Before leaving for Australia she had heard that the World Aquathlon Championship was also being held, a few days before the triathlon event. She entered and won the gold medal before competing in the triathlon!

Peggy, a retired teacher at the School for Children with Little or No Sight in Exeter, told the Courier that having won the event for the 60 years plus group in Vancouver she had free entry this year to defend the title.

She trains locally and paid tribute to the support she had received from Mike Sanders at Crediton's Bike Shed.

She recalled that she had first become interested in the triathlon in the 1980s when she was teaching and received encouragement and support from Ian Sneddon, also a teacher at the school at that time, who lives in Crediton.

"I gave up smoking and started jogging", she said. "Since then I have never looked back. I train in the swimming pool at Crediton leisure Centre and I am grateful to the staff there. Last year before I went tom Vancouver I was panicking a bit about my bike and Mike Sanders offered to lend me wheels from his bike."

"I never dreamt that I would win two gold medals in one year. The GB team in Australia for the triathlon was the second biggest to take part."

As a point of interest Peggy recently paid £2,000 for the bike she rides. She cycled from her home to Winsford Hill, near Minehead in Somerset to watch the riders tackle the hill.

Peggy says she never gets bored. For one thing she keeps chickens and for another she is a keen gardener.