TRI-SPOKE Coaching duo Trevor Back and Anna Went have been picked to represent Great Britain at next month’s ITU World Triathlon Grand Final, in Rotterdam.

They will compete in the Olympic-distance event, which starts with a 1.5km open-water swim, followed by a 40km bike ride and finishing off with a 10km run.

Self-employed project manager Back, from Great Bentley, has fought back after severely rupturing an Achilles tendon during a London to Monte Carlo charity bike ride in 2013.

Now he is set to represent Great Britain in the 50-54 category, after qualifying in specific races nationwide this year.

The 52-year-old said: “After my injury, I had carbon implants put in my heel.

"During my rehab, I got back on my bike and then I started doing Parkruns.

"I’ve since done well at events such as the London Triathlon but representing GB was my aim.

"However, to qualify and get even faster, I needed to get leaner so over the past year my coach, Roy Young, has devised a training schedule with that aim.

"My bodyweight is now back to where it was when I played rugby in my 20s.”

Colchester's Went, a chief cardiac physiologist at Barts Heart Centre in London, only took up triathlon three years ago and will represent GB in the 30-34 age group in Rotterdam.

She has knocked off more than 15 minutes from her personal best in the past year, squeezing in her training despite her London commute.

The 33-year-old said: “I always enjoyed running but was keen to do something different.

"I’ve learned a great deal from the group cycle sessions, while Roy, my coach, devises my weekly training around my varying work schedule. It feels quite surreal to be representing GB.”

Back and Went are the third and fourth triathletes from Tri-Spoke Coaching to represent GB since the Colchester-based coaching company started three years ago.

Another Tri-Spoke member, teacher Nicola Welham, flew out to Penticton, in Canada, last weekend to compete for GB in 30-34 age group category at the ITU World Championships Festival.

She competed in the duathlon sprint event, which is a 5km run followed by 20km bike ride followed by a 2.5km run.

Tri-Spoke Coaching was set up in 2014 by Jane Rattle, who lives in Wivenhoe, with the aim of setting flexible bespoke training schedules for people busy lifestyles to help people achieve their goals.

She teamed up with coach Roy Young, a qualified PTI instructor and GB Age Group triathlete, and they have had great success with four Tri-Spoke members representing GB at age group level in triathlon and duathlon.

Young said: “You don’t need to be the best in each event.

"The key to being a successful triathlete is to bring all three disciplines together.

"The age-group categories are a terrific incentive as they give everyday people the opportunity to represent GB at a World Championship.”

Triathlon is one of the UK’s fastest-growing sports.

In the six years from 2009 to 2015, numbers competing increased from 120,000 to more than 200,000, with 24 events a year.