A GROUP of 30 people met at Lord Wandsworth College (LWC) in Long Sutton near Odiham to take part in an event designed to raise money to help injured athlete, Claire Danson.

They had all signed up to take part in a team ultra triathlon – taking place on Sunday, March 1 – the aim being to complete the distance and claim the sponsorship.

And they did it! Far exceeding their goal of £7,500 to hopefully top the £10,000 mark.

According to organiser, Sig Watkins, she made the decision to run a fundraising event after reading about Claire’s accident.

The triathlete, who won the 30 to 34 age category at the European Championships in June last year, was paralysed after she was involved in a collision with a tractor while riding her bike at the end of August.

She is now confined to a wheelchair.

Claire is the sister of Alex Danson, who won Olympic hockey gold for Great Britain at the 2016 Games in Rio.

Both sisters were members of Alton Hockey Club and helped with the Push for a Pitch campaign which resulted in the construction of a new astro pitch at Eggar’s School.

Both coached pupils at LWC where they were well known. They also retain a strong connection with the Alton Hockey Club ‘family’, of which Sig is a part.

Sig said: “I wanted to give something back to someone who’d made time for us and was now in huge need herself.”

Started by Claire and Alex, the ultra triathlon saw ten teams of three take part in a relay which coverd a 10km swim (1km each), a 26 mile run (2.6 miles each) and a 150 mile bike ride (15 miles each) with a pledged sponsorship amount of at least £250 each.