Triathlon star in the making

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The first leg was an 80 metre swim
The first leg was an 80 metre swim…….

After a visit from the charity Lepra, to Lydd Primary School, Ben Parker (age 9) decided he’d like to do a triathlon* (see below for explanation of triathlon) to raise money for them. With advice and help from his swimming teacher Hazel Fulker, who he has had swimming lessons with since he was just 5 years old, he organised his own event!

.....followed by 3km on the bike....
…..followed by 3km on the bike….

Ben has wanted to do a triathlon for a while, he loves sports and having represented his school at District sports in June he enjoys competing. His weekly clubs carried him in good stead with his training. He plays football for Grasshoppers Juniors and has weekly training sessions with ‘Flow in Football’ at Lydd football club, he runs Park Runs regularly and has weekly swimming lessons with Hazel. In fact most evenings and weekends Ben does something sporty!

....and finally a 1km run
….and finally a 1km run

Ben did his triathlon on Sunday November 6. Starting at the pool at Camber Park resorts, he did an 80 metre swim, a 3 km cycle ride travelling through the holiday park and along to the end of the new sea wall at Broomhill Sands, Camber and then a 1km run on the way back along the wall to the finishing line his family had set up for him. His Dad helped plan the route and distances. Ben did it as a competitive triathlon, with no breaks in between disciplines (apart from a brief change from trunks to tracksuit after the swim).

The life guards and staff at Camber Resorts were very supportive and with his family there to cheer him on, he completed the triathlon in 25.44 minutes.

Ben really enjoyed doing the triathlon, and had a big grin on his face all the way round. He is looking forward to joining Hazel’s Junior Forever Tri club in January 2017 and with her impressive coaching skills – he plans to beat his time!

He’s raised £45.60 so far.

If you’d like to sponsor Ben, his just giving page is at https://www.justgiving.com/ BenjaminParker

*A triathlon is a 3-discipline event starting with a swim then bike then run. The standard distances are 1500 metres, 40km, 10km respectively for each discipline. This year at the Rio Olympics British triathlete brothers Alistair and Jonny Brownlee won gold and silver medals. Better watch out Brownlee brothers, Ben Parker is coming!

Michelle Parker

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