IT WILL be podium or bust for Chris Roxburgh when he takes on the world for a third time at the World Duathlon Championships.

The 29-year-old, who lives in Westbury Leigh, is jetting off to Pontevedra, Spain, next week to compete in the 30-34 age group on Sunday June 1.

Roxburgh, who donned a Great Britain vest as he finished 17th in the 25-29 category at the 2012 World Championships in Nancy, France, and was also seventh at last year’s competition in Ottawa, Canada, warmed up by winning a bronze medal at the National Duathlon Championships in North Yorkshire last month.

He is expecting a tougher test this summer in his new age category.

“I want to try and podium – that’s it,” said Roxburgh, who works as a paramedic for the South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

“When you’re on the start line, there’s no point in aiming for anything else, otherwise what’s the point? I don’t know if I’ll be good enough to win it but I’ll definitely be trying to win it.

“In duathlon, you can be a world champion one day and as useless as a chocolate teapot the next – it’s all about how you do on the day.

“It’s definitely going to be even tougher in this age group this year. I’ve moved up because I turn 30 before December 31 this year.

“People’s endurance gets better as they get older and my coach Andy (MacKenzie) says that I’m getting fitter and stronger – if you slow down to take a swig of drink this year you’ll drop down two or three places and it’s going to be so close between positions.

“I’m looking forward to it. Some people say that they don’t like racing in front of a crowd but I love it.”

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