A Worcester GP who started running just five years ago at the age of 44, is set to represent Great Britain at the World Triathlon Championships in Vancouver next month.

Rachel Ward, a GP at Stourport-on-Severn Health Centre is hoping to swim, cycle and run her way to a gold medal, as she takes part in the triathlon event in the 45 - 49 years category on 6 June.

Rachel is being sponsored by Wesleyan Medical Sickness, the leading medical financial services specialist.

Rachel said, “I started running after the birth of my second child as a way to keep fit. I never imagined that I’d end up representing my country at the World Championships and compete in the same arena as professional athletes. Once I started running, I found I really enjoyed it and was also quite good.

I joined the Amazing Feet Running Club in Kidderminster after a couple of years to give myself a greater challenge. I won my first triathlon and haven’t looked back since.

“I’m grateful to the support that Wesleyan Medical Sickness has given me. I’ve had to pay all of my own travel costs so sponsorship like this makes a huge difference. ”

Callum Girvan, Wesleyan’s Director of Marketing said, “Rachel is a fantastic inspiration and we’re full of admiration for what she’s achieved. Everyone at Wesleyan Medical Sickness wishes her the best of luck in Vancouver and we’ll be cheering her on.”

The World Triathlon Championships will take place on 6-7 June.

Wesleyan Medical Sickness provides specialist financial advice and products to GPs, doctors and dentist.

 
Photo Caption: Rachel Ward gets in some last minute training before heading out to Vancouver for the World Triathlon Championships. Rachel is being sponsored by Wesleyan Medical Sickness.

For more information and interviews please contact:

Bernadette Bogan or Navdeep Bhatti 0121 200 9609
Wesleyan Press Office press@wesleyan.co.uk

Sophie Hull 0207 404 9660
Vanbrugh Communications

Notes to Editors:

Wesleyan Medical Sickness is a distribution brand of Wesleyan Assurance Society (‘Wesleyan’) with specialist teams dedicated to providing tailored financial advice and solutions to clients in the medical and dental field.

Wesleyan Assurance Society is a mutual assurance society, founded in 1841 in Birmingham. The core values throughout the organisation are Insight, Performance and Trust.

Wesleyan offers specialist financial advice to hospital doctors, GPs, dentists, teachers and lawyers, through its principal distribution brands Wesleyan Medical Sickness, Wesleyan for Teachers and Wesleyan for Lawyers.

In 2007 Wesleyan Assurance Society won the ifs Financial Innovation Awards 2007 for Most Effective Customer Segmentation Strategy.

Wesleyan is one of the UK’s financially strongest mutuals, receiving a ten-out-of-ten rating for four consecutive years in the Cazalet Consulting survey of With Profits offices.