JENNY MANNERS has won World and European titles but there was a sweet satisfaction about her second place in a European Cup event at Weert in the Netherlands over the weekend – she did it under her own name.

Manners, from Cirencester, is a full-time triathlete and has brought home a hatful of medals for Team GB guiding for visually impaired companions Charlotte Ellis and Alison Patrick.

Two years ago she made the brave decision to step away from helping para-triathletes – missing out on Rio 2016 – to see how much she could achieve in her own right. Patrick went on to win Olympic silver with a new guide.

Sunday’s podium finish in the European Cup in Weert, when she was beaten only by Angelica Olmo from Italy, was the 26-year-old's best solo effort.

“I won a race at Dakhla in Africa last December but that was in the off season for triathlon and last weekend was a much stronger field,” said former Loughborough University graduate Jenny.

“I was not expecting to get on the podium – I would have been happy with a top five looking at the strong start list.

“But the race dynamic played into my hands. I was part of a small group that got away on the swim and we then worked well together on the bike.

“There were two very good runners who got detached from us on the bike section and they could not fully make up the time.

“I knew I was in good shape but I had been slightly disappointed with my effort in a World Cup event a fortnight previously in Madrid when I could finish only 27th. That was a very hard course and I took some time off training to recover.

“Weert was a step into the unknown after that but obviously the rest did me good.”

Jenny has left Loughborough and moves next week to Cardiff where her boyfriend Luke Watson has become head coach to Welsh Triathlon.

“Weert qualified me for my next big event in the World Cup series in Hungary on July 23,” said Jenny.

“I hope to do well enough in World Cup races this year to step up to the World Triathlon Series (WTS) in 2018.

“I do miss my guiding days but I am not allowed to guide while competing at the elite level. I would have to take a year away from competition before guiding again.

“It is different doing my own thing but I’m glad I did it while I still can, as I might have regretted not trying. I can always go back to guiding in the future.

“I’m a full time athlete and I do earn some prize money but it is not enough to live on so I have to keep dipping into my savings.

“I am still part of the Race Hub triathlon team based near Loughborough and they are going to continue supporting me for the remainder of the season, even after my move to Cardiff.”