A Weymouth College Sports lecturer has been selected to represent Team GB at a major championship in Germany later this month. Tom Priest, 27, from Crewkerne, will travel to Cologne for the European Aquathlon Championships on Saturday 31 May.
Similar to the triathlon but without the cycling-section, the Aquathlon is a dual-discipline race consisting of a 1,000 meter open-water swim followed by a 5,000 meter run. The Aquathlon is not yet an Olympic sport. As such, it is self-funded; even those selected for the Great Britain squad, like Tom, are expected to pay for their own travel and accommodation.
About his selection, Tom said:
On a personal note, the opportunity to represent my country at a major championship is a massive achievement. As the sport is self-funded it can cost quite a bit to compete, which is why I’m really grateful to the College for its encouragement and support, and for agreeing to sponsor me to race in Cologne. Obviously, I hope to bring home a medal!
Success at the European Championships will mean Tom could be selected to represent Team GB at the World Championships, due to take place in Edmonton, Canada in August 2014.
Tom’s selection for Team GB is also great news for Weymouth College, which is one of only five Colleges in the UK ranked ‘Outstanding’ for Sport.
Rob Jones, Vice Principal said:
We’re extremely proud of Tom’s achievements. We aim to provide our students with outstanding teaching and inspiring role models. Tom is precisely such an inspiration and we wish him every success in Cologne.
