IT has been harvest-time for a super-fit 75-year-old who has returned from competitions across the world with a bumper crop of medals.

Peggy Crome took up fitness seriously in the early 80s and says a Crediton man had a lot to do with encouraging her.

She explained: “Up to the 80s I used to smoke quite a lot.

“I used to teach with Ian Sneddon at the West of England School in Exeter and when there was talk about a running a marathon everyone thought I wouldn’t be able to take part.

“I knew I could do it and went on to do my first half-marathon.

“If it had not been for Ian not laughing at me I wouldn’t have got going at my running, which has led to so many competitions and medals.”

Peggy now specialises in triathlons and aquathlons, which involve cycling, running and swimming.

This year, in the 75+ age categories, Peggy achieved gold in the European Standard in Estonia, gold in the sprint in Glasgow and in Australia at the World Triathlon Championships, up against the world’s best, she achieved gold in the sprint and silver in the standard.

Peggy explained that at the World Championships she was up against one of the top American women.

She said: “I was fortunate that I tucked in behind two Australians to draft in the bike discipline. I was being chased down by the top American lady, who I had never beaten.  I was able to keep well ahead of her by playing the game.

“It was the first time I have ever done that.

“She, however, gained on the Standard, where you are not allowed to draft.”

Peggy said that the World Triathlon Championships was her “A” race and commented: “I had to put every ounce of energy into that competition.”

As part of her cool-down for the year, Peggy entered the European Aquathlon Championships in Ibiza, which involved a 1,000 metre swim and 5k run.

Peggy continued: “I find the shorter distances hard for me, I’m a bit of a plodder so it was difficult.

“The swim was unusual in that they took us out on a big boat for the swim start and we had to jump off a 10 foot high board into the water, which was a bit daunting for some.

“Fortunately I have a good background of diving off high boards.  There was one at Crediton High School, in the day!  I do some of my swimming training at the Lords Meadow pool and some in the Barnstaple pool.

“In the 75-79 years age category I achieved a gold and a silver in the Worlds  so I am more than pleased.”

Peggy, who can often be seen cycling her favourite training route from Eggesford to Winkleigh then to Copplestone and back, a cycle of 25 miles, says that she also enjoys training on a turbo bicycle trainer.

She also trains for her swimming in her jet pool, often referred to as an endless pool.

Before she completed the Aix-en-Provence Ironman 70.3 competition held in France three years ago, Peggy did a lot of training in the endless pool as well as at Lords Meadow pool.

In that competition Peggy won a trophy and medal after completing the triathlon in eight hours and 24 minutes.

For Peggy’s cyclng discipline in triathlon, Mike and his team at The Bike Shed in Crediton built Peggy a special bike to use for both sprint and standard distances. This bike proved to be a great asset for the Australian races.

In total she has achieved 10 medals this year and during her sporting career, to-date, has represented Great Britain many times.

She has competed in Canada, Beijing, Israel and Austria to name but a few and has already set her sights on competitions next year.

These include European sprints in Russia and Estonia, a standard in Weert, Holland, a World sprint and standard in Austria and the European Aquathlon in Transylvania, Romania.

She also hopes to compete in the World Aquathlon in Pontevedra, Northern Spain on her birthday, May 2.

Peggy encourages women and men to take up running and entering competitions later in life.

“For women who have brought up children”, for example, “they have more time after they have grown up.

“It is good for older women to be involved and be more physical.”

Peggy is a fine example.  Just two years ago, with her granddaughter, Hannah Rainger, then aged 13, the pair took on the gruelling John O’Groats to Lands End cycle in aid of a youth cycling charity.

They cycled about 100 miles-a-day to complete 1006-mile route.

Peggy, and Hannah, who comes from South Molton, are both members of North Devon Wheelers.

Peggy said that in competitions her aim is always to beat her previous times.

She added: “Fortunately I am not working but I have to train hard to maintain the standard to enter the competitions.

“I train hard all winter and winning the competitions in the summer is my harvest-time.”