World duathlon champion Catriona Morrison has continued to progress in the ironman triathlon discipline by finishing third, and recording the fastest debut time ever, in the Quelle Challenge Roth in Germany.

Known as being one of the fastest tracks on the ironman circuit, Morrison took full advantage of the sight-free swimming loop and flat running conditions to record a seriously impressive overall time of 8h 48m 11s in her first competitive stab at the event.

“I'm very happy to have finished and so happy to have chosen such an amazing first ironman distance race in Quelle Challenge Roth,” said Broxburn athlete Morrison.

“Running a marathon off a 4k swim and 180k bike is interesting,” she said of the gruelling distances.  “Like that song – ‘you’re up and then down, in and then out’

“I felt totally out of the game for 20km. I was full on wanting to stop but knowing that I could not live with myself if I did!”

On another note, Morrison will also be aiming to win the world duathlon crown once again when the World Championships come to Edinburgh in September next year.

Having won the European Championships in the Scottish capital in 2007, and training in the area regularly, she will be one of the early favourites to claim the prize on home soil.