TWO Dunfermline neighbours have become national triathlon champions – on the same day.

Billy Bunyan and Mike Harvey, of Hailes Place, travelled to Monifieth, Angus, for the Triathlon Scotland National Sprint Triathlon Championship, held on July 9.

The sprint triathlon consists of a 750 metre swim, 21K cycle and 5K run – half the distance of a regular triathlon – and the two pals, who train with Perth Triathlon Club and jump on the bike with Dunfermline Cycling Club, both came out on top in their respective age categories.

Billy, who returned to competing in the endurance event to celebrate turning 60, finished top of the 60-64 category with a time of one hour, 17 minutes and 43 seconds, while Mike, competing in the 50-54 age group, also took top spot by crossing the finish in 1:10.10.

Former runner Billy, who won the half-mile event at the famous Powderhall Sprint in the early 1980s, said: “I went back into triathlon because it was my 60th this year; my last one was in 2003 and I fancied a chance from biking. I wanted another goal to go for and triathlon fitted the bill.

“From 2003 until now, it’s night and day in terms of the numbers taking part. Mike and I go to open water swimming at Lochore and when it first started in the early 2000s, there’d be six or eight people on a good night. Now you get 60, 70 or 80.

“We do a lot of cycling and swimming together; most weekends we’ll do about 160 miles and go swimming on a Tuesday and Wednesday. We get a lot of banter and people saying that we’re on the same drugs but I think they’re just jealous!

“I was very pleased to win; there were 17 in my category but you still have to do the training. There’s nothing worse if one of us was bringing back a medal and the other didn’t, so that was great.”

Mike, who last year won the National Sprint Triathlon Championship, the Scottish Middle Distance Triathlon Championship and the Standard Distance Triathlon Championship, said: “My year’s been fairly busy; the week before, myself and 1,600 other competitors took part in the Edinburgh half Ironman and I was second in my category.

“I was hopeful (going into the National Sprint Championship) but my main worry was that I’d just done a half Ironman the week before, which could have been detrimental to my recovery.

“But I went with Billy and it was a good day. I know the course but all the main competitors in my age group were there, so I knew it would be a challenge.

“My swim was good, I posted the fastest in my age group, I had the second-fastest cycle and the fastest run, and I think I beat second place by a clear three minutes.

“We’ve done a couple together this year and Billy has done everything; he was doing triathlons before I knew how to spell the word! We both cycle with Dunfermline Cycle Club – he actually gave me one of his old road bikes – and taught me how to ride. We swim together as well and I think my wife thinks we’re joined at the hip!

“We’ve been neighbours for 19 or 20 years and I couldn’t ask for a better neighbour. We were two happy boys coming back down in the car.”

The pair will go for glory once more in September at the Scottish National Championship Standard Triathlon, which will take place at Knockburn Loch in Aberdeenshire.