TV celebs join amateurs and top athletes in London Triathlon weekend in Docklands

Making a splash... swimmers in the London Triathlon (Image: RB Create 2015)

They saw TV celebrities joining elite triathletes, keen amateurs and triathlon first-timers in swimming, cycling and running on tough courses through Docklands, with 13,000 competitors aged 18 to 74 from 50 countries crossing the London Triathlon finishing line, at all levels and abilities.

The elite athletes went head-to-head yesterday, on the second day, in two contests with Olympian and twice-world champ Helen Jenkins winning the women’s race and Australian triathlete Peter Kerr taking the men’s.

Cycling in traffic-free Aspen Way, passing Canary Wharf on Triathlon Day 2 (Image: RB Create 2015)

The 88-strong elite field also included Charlotte McShane, Emma Pallant, Liam Lloyd, Gillian Sanders, Emma Pallant, David Bishop and Brendan Sexton.

Celebs taking part included TV’s Emmerdale actor Tom Lister, raising funds for Leukaemia & Lymphoma, and Apprentice winner Michelle Dewberry.

The two-day AJ Bell Triathlon began on Saturday with TV presenter Charlie Webster, who gained her ‘swimming legs’ at the 2013 triathlon when she had only just learnt to swim, taking on the running leg of the sprint relay with Lydia Bright, star of The Only Way is Essex.

Armed Forces catering manager Darren Passmore, 40, who shed almost a quarter off his 22-stone weight last year, took part in memory of his father Gary who died from cancer.

Nick Green, 36, went through four open heart surgeries before the triathlon—doctors putting his survival down to a healthy lifestyle.

Also competing on Saturday were TV’s Gadget Show presenter Jason Bradbury, celebrity magician Max Somerset, EastEnders’ Glen Wallace, six Olympic competitors and former International footballer Paul McVeigh.