A LEISURE centre manager is set to compete in the European Triathlon Championships.

will be heading off to the Netherlands to take part in a triathlon as part of the European Triathlon Championships 2019.

Fitness fanatic and dad to five-year-old twins, Phil Wallis, was determined to get back into sport after a serious knee injury forced him to give up football.

The 41-year-old, who is centre manager at Southend Leisure and Tennis Centre, at Garon Park, said: “I got into triathlon about six years ago and took it up with my brother and some friends for a bit of a laugh.

“I got a bit more serious and joined a club in January 2017.”

It has now been confirmed he has qualified to represent GB in the Netherlands next year.

He added: “It had been something I had wanted to achieve since I got into the sport.

“It was my goal and it had taken a lot of hard work but it was incredible to qualify.”

The Olympic-length triathlon, which consists of swimming, running and cycling, will take six months to train for and the doting dad has proved to be very dedicated – training first thing in the morning each day.

Phil’s motivation to succeed in the competition is his wife, Fiona, and their five-year-old twins.

He added: “There is a lot of training and I work full time.

“My family have been incredibly supportive.

“I’ve been getting up at 5am to train and doing long bike rides so I can spend the weekend with them.

“I had played a lot of football and thought I was quite fit but after the first triathlon I thought maybe I wasn’t as fit.

“It is three fairly basic skills – swimming, cycling and running – but when you put them together it is much more challenging.”

Phil, who lives in Colchester, will compete in the 40 to 44-year-old age group category at the event in June, in Weert, Holland.