Iron men target world title

Two Wombourne iron men are ready to test themselves against the best on the planet after being picked to represent Great Britain in the triathlon World Championships.

Clive Middleton and Chris Pedley have been included in a 60-man British squad for the competition, which is due to be held in Lorient, in France, next month.

They will go head-to-head with around 2,000 of the fittest men alive in the World ITU Long Distance Triathlon World Championships.

Middleton, aged 43, and Pedley, aged 53, will have to swim two miles, cycle 56 miles and then run 13 miles in the gruelling event.

Both qualified for the World Championships with their performance in a triathlon in Florida in November when Pedley finished ninth and Middleton three places further down the field.

The pair, who race for Black Country Triathletes, will head for France on July 11, with the competition scheduled for July 15.

They are veterans of previous World Championships and other endurance events, with Middleton having been part of a British team that cycled around the circumference of Australia in world record time five years ago.

But Middleton said the pair were relishing the competition as much as ever - and eyeing medals.

"It's always exciting to get your Great Britain kit," he said. "It makes all the training worthwhile.

"Even now, a month before the race, we're doing 20 hours of training a week in proportion to the way the event is split.

"We're doing most of the training on a bike, then running, then the least is swimming.

"We've both been to World Championships before and we know what to expect.

"Chris is in fantastic condition. He's super fit and is hoping to be up there in the top three for the 50-55 age group.

"And I would like to try to medal again and try and at least equal the second place I achieved in the Home Nations a few years ago."