JESS Learmonth can already claim at least partial credit for one Scottish success story, writes Stewart Fisher. Now she wants to be hailed as another in her own right. The reigning European triathlon champion, named this week as an ambassador for the 2018 version - which will be held as part of a multi-sport games at Strathclyde Park in early August – might have been born and bred in Yorkshire, but she has a grandparent who hails from Penicuik and was as proud as anyone when, having just claimed a silver medal for England, she saw her erstwhile training partner Marc Austin produced the storming run which claimed a bronze medal for Scotland in the Gold Coast in April. It is with affection that she refers to him as a ‘doylan’, ie a dumpling or idiot.
“Marc is a right doylan,” said Learmonth. “No he’s my little mate, my favourite triathlete. We were together for about six weeks, first Lanzarote, then Gold Coast. We had a good block of training and the English and Scottish were mixing ...which were quite frowned upon, I think! Honestly I think it was the English influence that helped him get a medal! No, he’ll definitely be one to watch, he’s progressing through and is a real talent.”
Learmonth said she was “honoured and shocked” to be named ambassador for the event. To date, her Glasgow experiences include watching her brother-in-law Steve Wilkinson compete in the steeplechase at Glasgow 2014, attending the triathlon and taking part in a fun bike ride which took in the gruelling gradient of Montrose Street.“I have been to the course but I only started in triathlon seriously in 2012 so had only done a few by the time of the Games,” she said. “I went to watch so to be able to come back and race there myself is amazing. When people say its only 50 days to go I’m thinking ‘Christ, I better do a bit of training. I want to put it out there that I’m quarter-Scottish, with a Scottish name in Learmonth, so I want the Scottish fans to cheer me on. I’ll need that.”
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