STUART Meikle has targeted more success after winning a silver medal in a World Cup race in Canada.

The 43-year-old continued his sparkling season with silver at the ITU Paratriathlon World Cup in Magog earlier this month.

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.

Meikle's preparation for Canada was hampered when he was struck down the week before he was due to fly out for the race. Then his flight to Canada was delayed for 24 hours as his plane was broken.

He has now targeted further progression from then rest of this season and is already looking ahead to 2020's action.

Meikle said: "I was over the moon with the result.

"To go over there and face the world's top 10 and to lead at one stage, I'm really happy with that progression.

"It was very, very hot. It was a very hard race and I had to dig deep to get through it all. I've not had much heat training.

"Some of the world's best were there. Some of them are self-funded and can afford to go.

"Nobody at British Triathlon expected me to get on the podium. To get second place was great.

"I got myself round in a reasonable time.

"If you don't progress, you won't get selected for races.

"I want to be getting selected for World Series races this time next year. There are no more World Series races this year. But if there was, I would like to think I would have been selected.

"My focus is becoming a top 10 athlete by the end of this year. I am well on course for that.

"I have just got to keep working hard. I would like to turn full-time."

The World Cup victory continues a super season so far for Meikle.

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

He completed the opening 750-metre swim in 12-and-a-half minutes, followed by a personal best in the 20k bike ride in 32.30, topped off by a 5k run which he completed in 24 minutes.

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.

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