HOT Chilli Triathlon club member Jane Hansom says losing out on an age group gold medal to a former Olympic champion has given her all the motivation she needs to go one better next time around.

On Sunday, Hansom took home the silver medal in the 45-49 age group at the European Triathlon Championships in Kitzbühel, Austria, with a time of 2:28:06, just behind former pro Brigitte McMahon (2:22:02), who won triathlon gold for Switzerland at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.

Hansom, who won the 40-44 age group at last year’s Europeans in Turkey, lives in London but is coached remotely by Trowbridge’s Hot Chilli head coach Richard Smith.

The Scot, who is due to compete in both the world triathlon championships and the Ironman 70.3 world championships in Canada later this summer, says her brush with McMahon has spurred her on to attempt to find another level.

“I had no idea that there was going to be someone competing that had won Olympic gold so I guess it shows just how tough age group competition is,” said Hansom, who runs a marketing agency.

“I wasn’t too far behind her but I did go there looking to win again, so I somehow need to try and shave five minutes off my time.

“I’ve been doing triathlon for about two years now and I won my age group at the Europeans last year. Richard Smith sends me over training plans and I come back to compete in local events for the club about once a month.

“My background is in marathon running and my biggest achievement is coming third in the New York Marathon in 2011 but I’ve switched to triathlon now, so that’s what I concentrate on.

“I’ve got the worlds and then the 70.3 world championships coming up at the end of August and the start of September, and I want to try and podium again.

“I have no idea if Brigitte will be competing in the triathlon but if she is, then I’ll just have to deal with that and try and do even better.”

Elsewhere, Hot Chilli’s Mark Blake and Ben Blackwall finished fourth and 22nd respectively at Sunday’s Forestman middle distance Triathlon.

The duo completed a 1.3km swim, 96km bike loop and rugged 20km run leg in the New Forest.

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