Soldier – August 2019

http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk AUGUST 2019 73

ATHLETICS

IN NUMBERS

V

ICTORY in the women’s

5,000 metres capped a

sensational month of

sporting achievement for Capt

Katrina Rye (RAMC).

The officer has been making

waves in the world of triathlon

after gaining her professional

licence in April and four days

before taking to the track in

Nuneaton she won her maiden

elite title.

Rye topped the podium

at the ETU European

Championships in Romania,

a result that came hot on the

heels of a second place at the

Half Ironman Lahti in Finland.

“It is remarkable really,”

the 28-year-old, who

also triumphed at this

season’s Army Triathlon

Championships, told

SoldierSport. “For me it

has been about having the

opportunity to perform at the

top level so I can show people

what I can do.

“I’m not a great swimmer so

I was at a real disadvantage

there, but I came out of the

water in third place.

“Having raced the week

before in Finland the plan was

to take it steady on the bike

and that paid off.

“I overtook my two rivals

and was four minutes up going

into the run – I eventually

finished five minutes clear.”

With the job complete Rye

returned to the UK to aid the

Army’s athletics cause, albeit

in an unfamiliar event.

“This was my first Inter-

Services and the 5,000 metres

is not my speciality,” she

added. “I started really fast

and had a rough idea of the

race pace I wanted.

“I eventually felt the fatigue

in my legs but I managed to

hold firm and push through to

the finish.

“It is a privilege to represent

the Army and I was happy to

step across.”

Rye was in Inter-Services

triathlon action as this issue

went to press and will compete

at the World Championships

in France next month. ■

SUCCESSIVE

INTER-

SERVICES

TITLES FOR

THE ARMY

WOMEN

5

POINTS

CLAIMED BY

GDSM PETER

MORENO

FROM FOUR

EVENTS

22

WINNING

MARGIN, IN

POINTS, FOR

THE REDS’

DOMINANT

FEMALE

SQUAD

56

EVENTS

IN WHICH

ARMY

ATHLETES

WON GOLD

AND SILVER

9

PERSONAL

BEST TIME,

IN SECONDS,

CLOCKED

BY 100M

CHAMPION

LCPL MICA

TAYLOR

12.9

RYE’S POWER OF ENDURANCE

“That has always been a strong

event for us.

“But we have so much talent

coming through and we will look

to push people to see how they

can develop.”

It proved to be a day of Army

domination in the women’s

competition as some familiar

faces and emerging stars took

centre stage.

LCpl Jess Williams (RAMC)

posted a throw of 36.40 metres to

win the inaugural Inter-Services

hammer competition before Pte

Kewe King (QARANC) recorded

back-to-back victories in the

triple jump and high jump.

Fellow multi-eventer Gnr Alice

Miell (RA) took gold in the javelin

and bronze in the shot putt – a

contest won by teammate LCpl

Amy Fleming (REME).

Distance runner Cpl Dani

Hodgkinson (QARANC)

dominated the field in both the

800 and 1,500 metres, while

Welsh netball star LCpl Fern

Davies (RLC) underlined her

versatility with victory in the

100-metre hurdles.

Sprinter LCpl Mica Taylor (R

Signals) secured the 100 metres

crown with a personal best time

and then took silver in the 200

metres. She added a further

medal as part of the successful

4x100-metre relay team.

“It is amazing how we have

managed to maintain this level of

performance,” said field manager

Capt Laura Barnes (QARANC).

“We don’t get time off work but

the athletes manage to train hard

and deliver on the day.” ■

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