Hannah Cutajar is on fire! The local triathlete just came first in her category during the triathlon in Kazan, Russia, at the European Triathlon Championship just yesterday. It’s actually the first time that a local athlete has won gold in a category and an overall win. #YAS

Hannah spoke to GuideMeMalta about her experience and how she feels about her performance. “I’m absolutely thrilled. Still in disbelief actually!” she told us. “This year after Dubai, I took a bit of a step back from training what with starting a new job as well as getting married and moving house. I have still been keeping fit but I wasn’t able to put in the same hours as last year. In fact, Kazan was very much a last-minute decision and I really didn’t know what to expect,” she admits.

“I definitely wasn’t as confident as usual in the build up to the race. I still worked extremely hard in the three weeks before the event and just hoped for the best on the day. As for the actual race, I started off really great.” Hannah was actually the first out of the water with a few athletes on her feet. “I exited transition with another female athlete from the UK and we worked really well together.”

“When it came to the run she had a slightly faster transition but I was able to catch her quite soon into the race. The run had been something which was worrying me as it was the thing I was finding hardest to get back into. I really surprised myself on the day.”

She explains that the last time she felt this thrill was back in 2013. “I never looked back till I crossed the finish line and it was only then that it all hit me. I last won my age group at European championships in 2013 in Turkey. I’ve been chasing gold ever since.”

Hannah is proud of her achievements and has her support system to thank for that. “To actually come across the line as the fastest female on the day was something I had never thought I could achieve. It goes to show what you can do when you have the right people supporting you as well as an extremely dedicated coach.”

So, what’s in store for this Maltese triathlete and wonder woman? “Kazan was really last-minute, so I have not yet thought about any other races this year. I’ll probably take some time out and then sit down and discuss things with my coach. This has definitely been an extreme confidence booster for me and am looking forward to seeing what’s in store.”

Congrats to Hannah!