Sophie Coldwell came out of Cross Country ‘retirement’ to take the senior women’s title at the Leicestershire & Rutland XC Championships over the weekend.

It’s a huge year coming up for the British triathlete as she looks to book her Team GB place for the Paris Olympics.

Beth Potter sealed her spot after she won the Paris Test event and subsequently became world champion for the first time with a follow-up success in the WTCS Grand Final in Pontevedra.

But Coldwell, Tokyo individual silver medallist Georgia Taylor-Brown and Super League Championship winner – and Pontevedra runner-up – Kate Waugh are all vying for the maximum two remaining places. And that’s before the likes of new mums Jess Learmonth and Vicky Holland are factored in as they return to the sport.

History makers?

Coldwell notched her first-ever WTCS victory in 2023 when taking the tape in Yokohama and she’s clearly mixing up the winter training back in the UK.

She just got the better of fellow triathlete and good friend Liv Mathias, who was running for Newark AC in the Leicestershire race, with six seconds separating them on the line as Coldwell clocked 30:42 for the muddy 8km.

She also landed the team prize for Charnwood AC in the process as her teammates finished fifth and seventh.

And to complete a memorable family double, her ultrarunner husband Tom Evans – winner of the prestigious Western States 100 last year – ran away with the men’s title.

Writing on Instagram afterwards, Coldwell said: “Ran a muddy 8km with my best mate today, didn’t fall over, didn’t twist my ankle and had some fun! All in all, worth coming out of XC retirement for 🤓.

“Also, maybe the 1st husband and wife team to win senior county titles in the same year?!”