A legal eagle is to tackle a strength-sapping endurance test to raise money for the hospital that helped save her brother’s life.
Bronwen Roberts, from Corwen, will take part in Saturday’s (Sept 10) Tatton Park Triathlon, a gruelling test of will and stamina that involves swimming, cycling and running.
And she’s being helped in her training regime by someone to whom speed comes naturally, her fiancé, Wales’s fastest sportsman, Formula Three International Series racing driver Hywel Lloyd.
Bronwen, 24, who now lives in Swadlincote, in Derbyshire, and works as a legal clerk for Burton on Trent solicitors Advance Legal, is aiming to raise money for Wrexham Maelor Hospital’s Special Care Baby Unit where 20 years ago her brother, Stephen, was nursed back to health.
Stephen is now a fit and healthy 20-year-old apprentice engineer but Bronwen wanted to do something to recognise the hospital that played such a major role in his recovery after he was born premature to Nigel and Rona Roberts, from Corwen.
Bronwen said: “He was 11 weeks premature and he only weighed two pounds, the same as a bag of sugar.
“He was tiny and not very well at all but the hospitals at Wrexham and at Alder Hey in Liverpool did a fantastic job and I wanted to do something to recognise that.
“My mum and dad have raised money for the unit and when my dad was captain of Ruthin-Pwllglas Golf Club that was his captain’s charity but I wanted to do something myself.
“Hywel keeps very fit to compete in Formula Three and we go to the gym a lot and he suggested we do a triathlon together but he’s got a busy schedule of races sop I’m doing it on my own.
“He got out of it but he will be watching which is what I usually do when he’s racing.”
Bronwen will don a wetsuit on top of her one-piece Tri-suit before diving into Tatton Mere with hundreds of others on Saturday.
After a 400 metre swim she must run to her bike, pull off the wetsuit and jump on for a 10 kilometre bike ride followed by a 3k run.
Hywel, who runs, swims and cycles as part of his own fitness regime for F3, said: “I’m very proud of her. She is very fit and she’s very determined as well and she will always give it a go.
“She’s pretty good behind the wheel too. I’ve been go-karting with her and she goes for it. A lot of people ease off and brake before they really need to but Bronwen keeps her foot down and goes for it.”
Bronwen, who went to Brynhyfryd School, Ruthin, and gained an Ll B in Law and Criminology at Keele University, added: “I’ve done a bike ride and a run but I’ve never done an open water swim before.
“I’ve worn the wetsuit at the swimming pool in Corwen and it was pretty warm. I think it will be a lot colder in the lake at Tatton on Saturday.
“Hywel bought me the wetsuit for my birthday which was nice and romantic and when we went on a Mediterranean cruise this year we went cycling at every stop.
“We’re getting married in May 2013 but I’d like to do a full triathlon next year and Hywel can come along too.”
To donate to Bronwen’s Maelor Hospital Special Care Baby Unit Charity go to www.justgiving.com/Bronwen-Roberts
