Barclay Izzard headlines GB squad for Europe Triathlon Cup in Poland
Barclay Izzard is named as one of three Brits racing in the men’s Europe Triathlon Cup in Rzeszów, Poland this Saturday 04 Jun, 2022 following on from his success of winning a silver medal at last week-ends Europe Triathlon Championships in Olsztyn.
Barclay Izzard is one of those athletes who has managed quite the rise through the elite age ranks with consistent improvements. Back in 2019 he was one of the British quartet of Georgia Taylor-Brown, Jess Learmonth and Alex Yee (quite impressive company) who secured bronze at the Mixed Team Relay World Championships in Hamburg 2019 and was the winner of the 2019 Huelva ETU Triathlon European Cup.
A break from racing to recharge the batteries preceded the two-year lockdown where racing completely dried up. As a self-funded athlete life is never easy but, nonetheless, Barclay Izzard knuckled down and returned to winning ways in the 2021 British Triathlon Series which lead him back onto the international scene this April in the Melilla European Cup, Spain where he took the second podium spot plus silver medal and settling for the same in the Europe Triathlon Championship last week-end. He will no doubt be looking to jump up to the top podium spot this time round.
He is joined by the ever-consistent Jack Willis who has risen through the ranks as a junior with domestic and international honours and has since transitioned into senior elite following a successful under-23 period with top 15’s in ETU European Cups, World Cup starts. He will be one seeking that elusive senior elite podium spot this week-end.
The third Brit is the canny Scot, Cameron Harris who has progressed through the Scottish ranks to gain his international status having represented Great Britain at 3 Championships and 15 European Cups. Cameron is pushing his boundaries to the limit to see how far he can go before committing himself to the medical profession. Cameron is no stranger to TriNation and I would like to think I gave him some cycling tips when we headed up to one of Scotland’s best known Scottish hill climbs the ‘Glenshee’ during the pandemic period. You can see our venture in the TriNation vid below.
With a field of 66 elite athletes from 23 countries on the starting line this race will be no stroll in the park, the boys will need to have their wits about them to make the podium, nevertheless, their perseverance as self-funded athletes is an endurance within itself and they are to be commended, whatever the race outcome, for their valiant efforts.
The sole British representative competing in the women’s race is Annabel Morton fresh from her top-ranking place at the British Triathlon Super Series event in Llanelli earlier in the month and having notched up an 18th place at the Europe Triathlon Cup in Quarteria, Portugal back in March.
