Karina’s back in the GB saddle

Sports enthusiast Karina Kaufmann says she can’t wait to represent GB again, having qualified for the World Duathlon Championships in July.

Having represented her country for the first time at last year’s World Triathlon Championships, she said: “I’m incredibly excited to be chosen to represent GB again, especially since there were so many amazingly strong and talented women in the field.  I felt so proud to be in my GB kit last year and can’t wait to get my race suit back on.”

Having also qualified for the European Duathlon Championships, she’s reached July World’s in Denmark, by finishing fourth in her age group and 15th overall (female) at the Bedford Autodrome sprint duathlon. “I’m doubly thrilled to have qualified outright”, she said, “we were so lucky with the weather missing both ‘beast’ snowstorms either side and I had a great race that day; smooth neat transitions, posting a new 5k personal best –20:03 – as well as the fastest overall female bike split!”

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Aiming for a top-15 world placing (and top 8 within team GB), though admitting it’s going to take a lot of planning and training, she said: “I’ll need to peak at the right time! I’ll continue to put in at least two sessions a day with different run and bike specific blocks, while in May, I’ll also start taking part in race triathlon’s to try and qualify for the 2019 World Championships.”

Also starting in May to race triathlons in order to qualify for the 2019 World Triathlon Championships, as she won’t be able to get to Australia for the 2018 series, she is also now sponsored by Skybound Capital and an ambassador for Seven Feet Apart – who have been supplying her footwear, she said: “They have been supplying me with the best shoes/sneakers to rest and recover in and for the World Championships, they’ll be making me a limited edition British flag version too! And I want to thank them both for their generous help and support, without which I would be unable to race.”

Looking ahead to what she hopes to achieve – and to thank all her loved one for their support, she added: “So much time has gone into getting me this far, planning and training, I’m looking forward to showing all those people (my coach, family, friends and especially my daughters) that have been supportive what we can really do with determination, effort and focus.”