GLOUCESTERSHIRE’S Vicky Holland became the first British woman ever to claim an Olympic triathlon medal after winning a sprint finish against teammate Non Stanford for the Rio 2016 bronze at Copacabana.

The medal justifies the decision by Holland to move from Cheltenham 18 months ago to Leeds to train with Stanford, who also became her housemate.

Holland, 30, and Stanford were in medal contention throughout, cycling among the pack after the swim before running side by side as Gwen Jorgensen and Nicola Spirig broke away.

It was Holland who had more strength at the death, sprinting away from Stanford in the last 100 metres to complete the podium after American Jorgensen had surged ahead of Spirig.

No GB woman had climbed the triathlon podium in the 16 years since it was introduced to the Games. Holland was claiming Team GB’s 62nd medal of the Rio 2016 Olympics on the penultimate day.

Holland said: “I have such mixed emotions. I was absolutely delighted when I crossed the line and I still am. To come and win a medal for Team GB and for myself is absolutely what I came here for.

“But to have to beat out your best friend, your training partner, your housemate is hard. And I guess about 5km into the run, I knew that it was going to come down to me or Non for a medal.

“We’ve always said it’s fair game when it comes to the run. We knew we wanted a medal and we didn’t want to let Barbara Riveros (of Chile) back in from behind. So at that point we just had to keep the pressure on and keep running for the bronze.

“I wanted both of us to do it. Non is a huge part of what I do. Half of this medal is hers. I wouldn’t be the athlete I am if it wasn’t for her. I moved in with Non at the end of 2013 and I’ve become an exponentially better athlete for it.

“She is a huge part of what I do and I have to give so much credit to her. I know that she’s so strong and she’ll be back in Tokyo in four years’ time and I wouldn’t bet against her. The first thing I did when I regrouped was try to find her and I told her I’m so sorry.

“But of course she was completely gracious as she always is. She’s a total star and I know she is delighted for me and I understand that she’ll be gutted. Fourth is a horrible place to finish, especially at the Olympic Games.”

Holland had won a Commonwealth Games gold in the 2014 mixed relay team event in Glasgow and also added an individual bronze.

She had been in great form this year having won the first World Triathlon Series race of her career at the age of 29 in Cape Town.

Her success follows that of the Brownlee brothers, Alistair and Jonathan, who won gold and silver for GB in the men’s triathlon event in Rio.