{"id":16782,"date":"2022-08-25T12:45:39","date_gmt":"2022-08-25T10:45:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.220triathlon.com\/?p=110799"},"modified":"2022-08-25T12:58:10","modified_gmt":"2022-08-25T10:58:10","slug":"non-stanford-announces-retirement-from-triathlon","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/220triathlon\/rss_feed\/non-stanford-announces-retirement-from-triathlon\/","title":{"rendered":"Non Stanford announces retirement from triathlon"},"content":{"rendered":"

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By 220 Triathlon Team\n \t\t<\/p>

Published: Thursday, 25 August 2022 at 12:00 am<\/p>

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Forner world and reigning European champion Non Stanford<\/a> has announced her retirement from triathlon after over a decade in the sport. <\/strong><\/p>\n

The 33-year-old Welsh athlete will take up a coaching role for British Triathlon at the Leeds Triathlon Centre after her final races for Super League in September and October<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Non Stanford\u2019s background\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Stanford made the move to triathlon while she was at the University of Birmingham, having enjoyed a promising junior athletics career. It was a move that proved successful almost instantly as she won gold in the Mixed Relay and individually in the U23 race at the 2012 World Championships<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

The standout year for Stanford was in 2013 when she not only started the year with gold in Madrid<\/strong><\/a> but secured four medals in the World Series and took the victory at the Grand Final to be crowned world champion<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

After finishing second at both the Rio 2016 Olympic Test Event<\/strong><\/a> and Grand Final in Chicago<\/strong><\/a> she secured selection for her first Olympic Games. In the race that started on Copacabana beach, Stanford just missed out on the medals with a fourth-place finish<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Stanford returned to the top of the podium with an excellent race at the 2019 World Series leg in Hamburg<\/strong><\/a> before travelling to Tokyo to compete at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Test Event, <\/strong><\/a>where she finished a disappointing seventh and missed out on a place in the 2020 Games.<\/p>\n

The races that Stanford has featured in this year will last long in the memories for triathlon fans, as she anchored the Mixed Relay for Wales at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games and brought the team home to take silver<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

In her last individual race representing Great Britain, at the European Champs in August<\/strong><\/a>, she showcased her incredible calibre with a textbook standard-distance race. She left T2 in fifth place and worked her way up the field to take the victory on the run.<\/p>\n

What\u2019s next for Non Stanford?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Her next steps lead her back to the training centre where she spent most of her career, with the role of assistant triathlon coach working alongside the Centre\u2019s head coach Rhys Davey<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

She believes the time is right to take a step away from the competitive side of the sport and is looking forward to giving back to the sport she has represented for over a decade.<\/p>\n

\u201cStepping away from competitive triathlon has been a difficult decision,\u201d Stanford said. \u201cI\u2019ve had such an amazing experience on the World Class programme, despite the many ups and downs that I\u2019ve faced during my career; and that\u2019s largely thanks to the people, both athletes and staff.<\/p>\n

\u201cBut knowing I\u2019ll still be working with the team, albeit in a different capacity, is really exciting, and I can\u2019t wait to continue my journey with British Triathlon.<\/p>\n

\u201cEver since being mentored by Dame Kelly Holmes in my teenage years, I\u2019ve been intent on one day paying that forward, by giving back to the sport that has given me so much. I\u2019m incredibly grateful that British Triathlon has given me the opportunity to make this passion a reality.\u201d<\/p>\n

British Triathlon Performance Mike Cavendish said: \u201cNon has had a fantastic career and is truly one of the greats in triathlon. Along with a few others in our outstanding\u00a0generation of female athletes, she has set the standard for others to follow in her passion, dedication and professionalism. Even when things have not gone her way, she has been a real pleasure to work with and a true role model.<\/p>\n

\u201cNon has always led by example and a number of our younger athletes already owe her a debt of gratitude for the way in which she has welcomed and guided them into our training and competition environments.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen I found out that Non was interested in moving into coaching I was really excited \u2013 though after her performances in Birmingham and Munich I admit I did have to double check she was still as keen. She\u00a0has achieved so much \u2013 and is such a great person too \u2013 that her potential to influence a whole new generation of triathletes is immense.<\/p>\n

\u201cI personally can\u2019t wait to bring someone of her calibre into our coaching team, and I know those based in Leeds \u2013 and elsewhere \u2013 will feel the same. Our job now is to support her to be as brilliant a coach as she is an athlete and if we manage to do that, British Triathlon has a huge asset for years to come.\u201d<\/p>\n