NEWPORT athlete Matt Welsh has celebrated a stunning success after winning a silver medal at the ITU Duathlon World Championship in Canada.

The talented 25-year-old has just arrived back in the United Kingdom after excelling in the prestigious event which was held in the Canadian capital Ottawa.

Welsh, who grew up in Bettws, came second in the 25-29 age group category.

The former Bettws High and Caerleon Comprehensive School student hopes to compete professionally in the future where he could find himself up against talents like Brownlee brothers Alistair and Jonathan.

The next big challenge for Welsh is competing in the World Triathlon Championships which are being held in London’s Hyde Park next month.

A former junior rugby player with Newport High School Old Boys and a footballer with the Malpas club, he now lives in London and works as a digital sales manager with sports nutrition brand Maximuscle.

The determined Welsh is looking to start taking part in half Iron Man distances next year as he aims to reach the best standard he can.

And being a top performer requires dedication and gritty determination, qualities he seems to have in abundance.

“I train two or three times a day – I do one before work and two sessions in the evenings, each one lasting between an hour to an hour and a half,” he said.

“I try to do each discipline five times a week.

“I then train about four to five hours on the weekend, which is often a long bike ride with friends at a triathlon club I’ve joined.

“That is very enjoyable and I’ve made a lot of friends there.”

A born competitor, it’s the thrill of the race which pushes Welsh on.

“I really enjoy pushing myself as hard as I can and I’m spurred on by the thought of winning races,” he said.

“It’s great to race against other people and I try to better myself every day.”