Triathlete Katie Walker has every reason to feel on top of the world.
The 25-year-old trainee accountant from Penzance has just come ninth in the 25-29 age group at the Ironman 70.3 World Championship in Marbella.
She qualified for the prestigious event after winning first place as the best overall female at Ironman Bolton 70.3 in June – joining more than 6300 competing athletes from 114 different countries, regions and territories.
The Ironman 70.3 World Championship is a long-distance triathlon competition consisting of a 1.2-mile swim, a 56-mile bike ride and a 13.1mile run.
“I was always sporty when I was growing up, mainly focusing on running and swimming,” said Katie. “I got into triathlon about four years ago and gradually moved from sprint and standard distance races to half Ironmans.”
Katie benefits from a GLL Sport Foundation (GSF) training award which gives her free access to 240 Better leisure centres and sport facilities nationwide – including nine centres in Cornwall.
“I swim at St Ives Leisure Centre three or four times a week with a great group of faster athletes and that has really helped me push harder and stay motivated,” she said. “As a GSF athlete, I can book a session whenever I want to, and the well-structured training is making a big difference.
“I work full-time so I train for each of my three disciplines – cycling, running and swimming – early in the morning, in the evenings and at the weekend.
“My main focus over the next few years is to work hard and consistently achieve the best results I can and my goal for 2026 is to qualify for the world championships again and be strong enough to win a podium position.
“I’m very grateful to GLL for the support they give me and encourage anyone with sporting talent in Cornwall to apply for a GSF award.”
144 Cornwall-based athletes, representing 23 sports, received GSF support worth £92,150 in 2025. 72% of them get no other central funding, more than half are under the age of 21, 27% are under 16 and 8% of them live with disabilities.
Applications for 2026 GSF awards open on 20 December. For more information, visit https://www.gllsportfoundation.org/
