Aileen seeks to break into world top ten in London

Derry triathlete Aileen Reid is determined to exorcise the demons from her London 2012 Olympic Games nightmare when she lines-up in Saturday’s ITU World Championships in the English capital. The North West Triathlon Club member had gone to the 2012 Olympics with a top 10 finish in her sights, but finished bloodied, tearful and in 43rd place after crashing on the first lap of the cycle session. Now the 30 year-old, who is ranked 11th in the World Triathlon Series, goes into the Grand Final confident that her preparations are on the right track. “I have been training at altitude in Morzine, France with my training group,” said Reid. “My family and some friends will be there in London to watch and I hope to put right my dreadful past experiences with the London course where I’ve crashed twice including last year in the Olympics.” Aileen currently lies just 30 points off the top 10 of the World Triathlon Series and with bumper points on offer for London’s Grand Final a good result could see her break into that golden group. The Elite women’s race will start at 8.30 a.m. on Saturday. Aileen will be part of Team Ireland’s 277 strong squad in London, made up of senior elite and U23 elite triathletes, four paratriatletes and 267 Age Group triathletes which includes local triathletes, Maeve Maher McWilliams, Aoife Logan, Jarlath Fearon, Roisin Lynch, Joanne Doran and Patrick McLaughlin. (DERRY JOURNAL)