Sophie is a national champion

A hospital consultant has become a national champion after winning the British Paratriathlon Championships at the weekend.

Sophie West, a consultant radiologist at East Kent Hospitals, took first place in the PTS5 category after completing a 5km run, 20km cycle, and 750m open water swim.

The mum of two has a rare metabolic disease that needs life-long treatment and has also had multiple surgeries on her hips. She balances working full time as a consultant in the NHS and caring for her two young children with her training.

Sophie said: “It has been really tough mentally and physically, and I am still slightly in awe that I am actually the British women’s champion.

“I am also currently ranked first in the British Paratriathlon Super Series, with two events to go in September and October.

“It is quite surreal to think I have achieved this, when there were times I wasn’t sure I would be able to run at all.”

The championships was the final stage in a summer of sport for Sophie, which included the White Cliffs triathlon in June, where she won her age group and was the second female overall.

Later in June she repeated those results at the Dambusters triathlon, which was the first event of the para super series.

In May, she represented Great Britain at the European Aquathlon Championships in Spain, finishing seventh in the 40-44 age group, and in June she returned to Spain for the World Aquathlon Championships, finishing 11th in her age group. In both those events she competed against able-bodied athletes.

Sophie, who lives in Ashford, also added long-distance running to her training this year, completing the London marathon in four and a half hours.

She said: “It was a long block of training after the marathon, but all I ever do is my best.

“Exercise is my way to de-stress, and I am a complete exercise addict. I’ve also had fantastic support from my colleagues

 “I never imagined I would be doing this, but I try to have an attitude of ‘but what if I can?’. Trying and failing is always better than not trying at all, and any movement is good for your body.”

Sophie swam competitively at a national level between 2013 and 2016 after seeing an athlete competing in the London 2012 Paralympics with the same hip condition.

But her training was put on hold due to work and family pressures, until she moved to Ashford from London and was able to set up a gym in her garage at home.