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THE World Triathlon Championships in Vancouver next month cannot come quick enough for Emma-Kate Lidbury, from Cricklade.

On Sunday, she collected gold for Great Britain in the European Triathlon Championships in Lisbon, proving she is in the best shape of her life.

Lidbury, 28, finished almost 10 minutes clear of her nearest rival in the Women's 25-29 age-group category, a rare winning margin in this gruelling event which features three disciplines - 1,500-metre swim, 40km bike ride and 10km run - one after another.

"I knew I was in good shape, but even I was surprised at how easy it was," said Lidbury, who won a bronze medal in the World Championships held in Hamburg last year.

"My run (37min 53sec) was the first time I have broken 38 minutes even in a stand-alone 10km race.

"That blew me away and Dr Sarah Springman (President of the British Triathlon Federation) must have been impressed, too, as she promptly invited me to compete in some of the Corus Elite Series races.

"It was frustrating that I could not compare myself with the elite runners at the European Championships as they were using a totally different course."

Emma-Kate, a former nationally ranked swimmer, got off to a good start in the water, posting another personal best (19min 51sec). and she may have recorded a triple PB on her Wiggle.co.uk-sponsored bike, but for some controversy over the measurement of the 40km course.

"My bike computer told me we had done 42km and some of the other competitors claimed the course was in excess of 43.5km," she said.

In Hamburg, Emma-Kate let both gold and silver medal chances slip away when fading in the closing stages, but there was no question of faltering this time.

Clearly the core work she did in Australia over the winter has helped her rise to a new level.

"In truth, my main focus this season has been the Worlds and I was treating Lisbon as a stepping stone," she said.

"My confidence is so high now, I want more of the same, please."

8:06pm Monday 12th May 2008

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