CROFT Ambrey runners Nicola Turvey and Simon Norwood will be representing Great Britain in triathlon competitions later this year.

Turvey, who lives in Leominster, has qualified for the World Standard Distance Championships in Edmonton, Canada, in August.

She is a service manager in the children’s wellbeing department at Herefordshire Council and will be competing in the 55 to 59 age group.

Norwood, who also lives in Leominster, has qualified for October’s European Middle Distance Championships in Majorca, Spain.

The 44-year-old is a logistics supervisor at M and M Sports.

The pair are among 10 Hereford Triathlon members of the club who've been selected for the GB Age Group teams.

The triathletes were selected by gaining qualifying times in races held across Britain during the past 12 months.

They are both members of the Halo Leisure Sports Foundation which supports elite athletes in Herefordshire and mid Wales.

This is the largest number of the Hereford club members who have qualified for Great Britain in its 26-year history.

Turvey’s Canada course will consist of a 1,500-metre lake swim, 40-kilometre cycle course and a 10-kilometre run.

And Norwood’s course will be made up of a 1.9km sea swim, 90-kilometre cycle course and a 21-kilometre run.

Triathlon is unique in sport as men and women complete in the same races and on the same courses as the professional athletes.

The World and European Championships are organised by the International Triathlon Union with the races taking place in different countries and venues each year.

“We’re delighted that so many club members will be travelling to Canada and Spain and representing Great Britain,” said Hereford Triathlon Club chairman Mike Parry.

“Many of them were inspired to try for selection by seeing the success of their club mates and it’s wonderful to see some of our newer members making the squad in their first few seasons in triathlon.

“We’re really proud of our reputation for being a fun and friendly club for all abilities but also a place where people are able to progress to compete at the highest level.”