Faye McClelland, physiotherapy student and para-triathlete based at the School of Health Professions in Eastbourne, was crowned world champion in New Zealand on 22 October 2012. Competing in the ITU Para-Triathlon World Championships in Auckland, Faye retained her World Champion title in a time of 1:02:33 in the women's TRI-4 – more than two minutes better than the second-place finisher.
The reigning World and European Para-triathlon champion, Faye has been shortlisted for next month's Sussex Sports Awards in Brighton as well as the University of Brighton Disabled Sports Personality of the Year. Faye is trained by Glenn Cook from the university and did some altitude work in the chambers at Eastbourne before she went to New Zealand.
Faye has won the world title three times and the European title twice, most recently triumphing by an amazing 12-minute margin. With the para-triathlon set to make its debut at the Paralympic Games in Rio in 2016, Faye represents a real medal contender.
Faye discovered para-triathlon in 2009 while attempting to regain some former fitness after returning from a year of travelling overseas. Faye didn't have a sporty upbringing but was always very active and enjoyed keeping fit. Between the years of 2005- 2007, she started to take part in some charity runs and able-bodied sprint triathlons whilst working as a fitness instructor.
Faye added: "I wouldn't say my interest in physiotherapy is really linked to para-triathlon as I have always had an interest in working within a caring environment promoting health and wellbeing. My degree is very clinical-based and not sports related at all. Currently I'm on an orthopaedic placement at Maidstone Hospital."
