David Vogwell is a Specialist Occupational Therapist at one of Southern Health NHS Foundation Trust's mental health wards, providing treatment for young people. He will be going for gold and representing the Great Britain Age-Group Team at the Europe Triathlon Duathlon Championships in Venice-Caorle, Italy.
David is one of six ambassadors who are being supported by Yellow Jersey Bicycle Insurance in his role as British Triathlon Age-Group Ambassadors in 2023.
He didn’t own a bike and was not a confident swimmer when he agreed to sign-up for an IRONMAN at a friend’s wedding reception in 2015.
Since then, he’s represented the GB Age-Group Team three times including a top-10 finish at last year’s World Triathlon Powerman Middle Distance Duathlon Championships Viborg, but this will be his first time competing at a European Championships.
“For the first couple of events, getting there and qualifying that was the goal, whereas this time, I go there with a bit more of a performance focus. I’m not going to be winning, but I want to finish higher than I have done previously, but still go there and enjoy it too. I’m looking forward to meeting some familiar faces, and some new ones too.
“Last year was a horrible start to the year with injury, I had Covid a couple of times and things like that. This year has been the complete opposite with the ambassador news, and, because the Venice event is quite early it’s been an early training block to get ready for that.”
David will be part of a 300-strong GB Age-Group Team in Caorle, with the Italian coastal town hosting both the European Championships for sprint and standard distance duathlon.