FIRST Turkey, now Portugal - Stuart Meikle is a Brit who want to make an impact in Europe during October to end his season on a high.

The 44-year-old will be competing in his final event of 2019, the Paratriathlon World Cup event in Madeira, Portugal, on Saturday, October 19.

He will have medal momentum after picking up a bronze at the Paratriathlon World Cup event in Alanya, Turkey, earlier this month.

Competing for Great Britain, he was third in the PTS2 men’s race finishing, once more, behind Russians, Mikhail Astashov and Vasilii Egorov.

But now he is fully focused on Portugal, after flying out on Tuesday, before he enjoys a free two weeks from any exercise before he begins winter training.

He hopes to go abroad to train before his season starts next March with events in Australia and Abu Dhabi.

Meikle said: "I really, really want to smash that race in Portugal and finish on a high.

"Then there will be no training for me for two weeks, before I start winter training.

"After the first three days I will be raring to go, after training all the time twice a day. You need three days off as you have just smashed a triathlon.

"I need a right good rest and come back fresh. I will have a good block of winter training.

"I'm just looking forward to next year.

"Lots of schools want me to come in and give talks in assemblies. I have a bit of free time to do that.

"I have felt under financial pressure this year with the travelling."

Meikle says he was encouraging by a learning curve performance in Alanya despite a couple of setbacks.

He added: "I had a lot more to give.

"It's quite frustrating cramming in the races, having to have a bit more time off work.

"I feel I have so much more to give. It went alright in Turkey.

"I felt it went alright and have learned more from this race in Turkey.

"I went through some glass cycling to the event and cut my tyre, I could not get much air pressure. I had a slower bike race. It was encouraging I did so well.

"The swimming section the sea was really, really choppy. The waves were so deep. I could not see the buoys I had to go around. That was challenging."

Meikle hopes to crown a medal-strewn season for him, as he has been a consistent performer throughout 2019.

He won silver at the ITU Paratriathlon World Cup in Magog, Canada, in July.

His overall time in the PTS2 men's category was one hour 16 minutes 18 seconds, which was split up into 15 minutes 45 seconds for the 750-metre open water swim, 32.57 in the 20km bike ride and 24.47 in the 5k run. He missed out to race winner Maurits Morsink, of the Netherlands, by five-and-a-half minutes.

He was crowned British paratriathlon champion in May at the event held at Eton Dorney.

He won the gold medal at the British Paraduathlon Championships in Bedford in April. At the event, he gained a personal best of 22.06 in the opening 5km run, followed by 34.45 in the 20km bike ride and finished in 12.17 in the closing 2.5km run.

Earlier this year, Meikle attended a training weekend at Loughborough University, the GB headquarters for the triathlon, and following that was selected to be part of the Paralympic Triathlon Talent Squad.

Meikle, who lives in Bingley, added he is looking for funding to take him to the next level in his sport and thanks Keighley & Craven for their support.

Meikle had his right leg amputated at the knee when he was just six months old due to complications following his birth. He was inspired to take up running after taking his children to Keighley & Craven Athletics Club training sessions at University Academy Keighley.

He began training for triathlons in September 2017, only a few weeks after running his first 10k on a blade and was invited to a British Paratriathlon trial in Loughborough.

To make a donation, or for more information, contact him at stuartmeikle.com or @StuMeikletri