Claire Bloom, 48, finished eighth in the 45-49 year age group at the ETU European Age Group Sprint Triathlon Championships in Eilat.

Bloom, 48, came home in fourth place in the swimming event in a time of 13:42. She also impressed in the run, finishing ahead of pre-race favourite Anke Lakies of Germany.

However, disaster struck in the cycling section as Bloom suffered technical problems with her bike and struggled with a strong headwind. After completing the course in 54 minutes, she produced an impressive final run of 23:56 to become the sixth fastest finisher in her age group.

Bloom said: “I was absolutely heartbroken at the end and will never know how close I could have come to the top positions.”

She is now aiming to qualify for the 2013 ETU European Championships in Turkey.