Q&A NATIONAL HERO

Joe Skipper says he still can’t find a coach that’ll “put up with me”, but he’s flying the union flag when it comes to British men in long-course triathlon. The only male Brit ranked inside the Professional Triathletes Organisation top 40 – mixing with the big hitters at No. 7 at time of print – a unique approach to training includes “just for fun” escapades to make quads shudder. There’s a serious athlete here, too. Skipper has secured iron-distance victories in each of the past five years – no mean feat through a pandemic – and alongside his racing schedule for 2022, he has a special project planned for the month after Kona, and something even more special planned for the start of July – marriage to his long-term fiancée