Video: Daphne turns 85 - by completing her 85th triathlon of the year

And anyone who knows her would not have been surprised to see Daphne, with husband Stephen, completing the 85th triahlon of her 85th year.

She cycled, ran and swam on her regular circuit in Littlehampton, cheered on by friends who marvel at a competitive spirit that many younger people would struggle to achieve.

Daphne is well-known around the town and to readers of the Littlehampton Gazette and sussexworld.co.uk, having been featured before during countless triathlon championships at home and abroad, where she has won numerous British and international age-group titles.

It’s an impressive track record for someone who only took up triathlons aged 50, when someone who used to work for her husband invited them to go and watch an event and they thought ‘Why not?’

Daphne did 75 triathlons when she was 75 but was aware ‘85 for 85’ would be a big challenge now she was a decade older. But it’s one she’s met head-on.

"We started on January 31 and have done three a week since then, so that the 85th could be for my 85th birthday,” she told us.

"I picked up a bug from the River Thames in June so was out of action for a little while but I picked up the numbers and got back on course to get to 85.

"My husband worked out the total distances covered – it was 1615km of swimming, 1700km of cycling and 255km of running – 3570km in total. I think it’s a good thing we didn’t realise when we started that those distances would have to be covered!

"Everyone has been so supportive – including the staff at Littlehampton Wave where we do a lot of our swimming – and we’ve raised £3,595 for the Prostate Cancer charity, which we chose after Steve had a major scare last year and ended up in hospital.”

So after 85 triathlons, what now?

"I might have a couple of days off,” Daphne joked, before adding, “The next big event is the European sprint distance triathlon championships in France in September, so that will soon come round.

"I enjoy what we do, so does Steve, who’s my coach and manager and does that job very well. I have very strong legs, which comes from my childhood when I was a dancer – you name a type of dancing, I did it.

"I will keep on doing triathlons for as long as I can, I can’t imagine not wanting to.”

Is Daphne now something of a local celebrity? “I wouldn’t say celebrity,” she said. “Some people say ‘she’s that nutcase who does triathlons’ and some say to me ‘you’re that woman we’ve seen in the local paper!”

And dare we ask for if Daphne will even think about doing 90 triathlons in the year she turns 90... “I don’t know – that’s a long way off,” she said.

It’s not too late to back the Belts’ fundraising for Prostate Cancer – go to https://www.justgiving.com/page/daphne-belt-1699449545966 if you’d like to add to the total for a very good cause.

Daphne Belt’s sporting CV – her age-group achievements

2024 Ironman 70.3 Venice-Jesolo AG winner oldest ever competitor

2024 British National Olympic distance Champion, Royal Windsor tri.

2024 European Sprint championships Vichy, France, GBR pre-qualified

2023 European Sprint triathlon Champion Madrid

2023 British Aquathlon Champion Hever Castle

2023 Qualified for European sprint championships

2022 European sprint triathlon Champion Munich

2021 English National Aquathlon Champion, Worthing

2019 World Triathlon Olympic Dist. Champion, Lausanne Switz.

2019 BTF National Aquathlon Champion

2019 Swimathon Triple Challenge, 3x 5000 mtr (15000 Nat. A.G. record)

2017 Ironman 70.3 European Champion Elsinore, Denmark

2015 ITU World Triathlon Standard Champion, Chicago, USA

2015 ITU World Triathlon Spr. Championships Bronze, Chicago, USA

2015/2018 Swimathon 5000 mtr National winner 5000mtrs

2014 ITU World Triathlon Champion, Edmonton, Canada

2014 BTF National Sprint Distance Triathlon Champion

2014 + 2016 Littlehampton Sports Person of the Year Overall

2014 Completed 75 mini triathlons in 75 days for Chestnut Tree House

2011/ 2012/ 2019 BTF National Aquathlon Champion 800mtr/5km

2011 ETU European Triathlon Champion Pontevedra, Spain

2010 ETU European Triathlon Champion Athlone, Eire

2010 ITU World Championship, silver Budapest, Hungary

2007 ETU European LD Triathlon Champion Lorient, France

2006 ETU European Triathlon Champion (L D.) Almere, Holland

2006 ETU European Triathlon Champion Autun, France

2006 Ironman World Champion 70.3 Clearwater Florida USA

2004 ITU World Champion L.D. Almere, Holland

2001 ITU World Champion L.D. Fredericia, Denmark

2000 ITU World Champion L.D. Nice, France

1999 ITU World Champion L.D. Sater, Sweden

1998 ITU World Champion L.D. Sado, Japan

1995 ITU World Champion L.D. Nice France

Competed in Hawaii World Ironman Championships 1994/2000/2002

40 X BTA National Championships various distances

Alpen Women’s Achievement Award

Reebok/Runners Award (vet)

Fab after Fifty Award

Great British Sporting Achievement Award Nominee

Littlehampton Sports forum Sports Person of the year 2014 & 2016

Coach Stephen Belt