Evergreen Non Stanford admits she surprised even herself after flushing away her Commonwealth Games hangover and pulling off a shock European gold in Munich.

The experienced Welsh triathlete, 33, will retire at the end of this season and completed a fairytale ending in what marked her final World Triathlon race. 

Stanford, who claimed World Triathlon Series gold almost a decade ago in 2013, crossed the line in 1:52:10 to beat home German favourite Lisa Lindemann and French star Emily Lombardi at the city’s 1972 Olympic Park. 

Lindemann was hot on her heels throughout but Stanford insists she’s got plenty left in the tank after exceeding her own expectations. 

The Bridgend star, who also won a brilliant mixed relay silver at the Commonwealth Games a fortnight ago, said: “It was completed unexpected to be honest with you.
“We have just come off the back of the Commonwealth Games and that was the main priority for me this year.

“We are quite a small country in Wales and we won a silver in the mixed team relay – we celebrated that and we had the closing ceremony on Monday, so I have been pretty tired and didn’t have many expectations for this race.

“But I’m really happy. This was my last World Triathlon race, so to come away with the win is just the perfect ending to my career.
“This is so unexpected – yes, it’s really special to win a medal at major Games with my team but to do something individually and to win, it is really, really special.”

Stanford had to battle to complete her memorable Munich triumph after struggling on the bike and navigating some brutal running terrain.

She came flying out of the blocks with an electric swimming leg but suffered a setback when struggling with bike issues.

But Stanford delivered when it mattered on the run to hold off Lindemann by nine seconds and cap a memorable end to her major international career.

She added: “I don’t know what went wrong with my bike today.

“I was struggling the whole bike leg, it just didn’t feel right, didn’t feel like my bike was right, so I was kind of at the back.

“On the run I was just focusing on myself, on my own pace, it was such a hard run course.

“I knew that if I went out too hard that I would really suffer later on and I was surprised at how quickly the girls came back to me on the second lap. It was a matter of sticking to my own pace and my own plan.

“I am always a bit apprehensive when the run course is really hard, because I am generally better on a flat, fast course so I really surprised myself today.

“I didn’t feel great at points. But overall, I felt really good on the run, so maybe the hangover from Commonwealth Games is not as bad as I thought.”

Stanford will go again in Sunday’s mixed relay event as she bids to emulate her Birmingham heroics in an innovative and rapidly growing new format.

British teammate Sophie Alden crashed out in Friday’s women’s race but Stanford is backing her to bounce back stronger as she aims for a second European medal in the space of three days.

“The mixed relay is pretty unexpected in terms of our prospects - we’ve got a pretty young team,” she added.

“Sophie unfortunately crashed today, so hopefully, she can pull herself up, but we have got the girls to step up if not.

“I hope we can all go out there and have a great time – I think when you are enjoying it, you get the result, so fingers crossed.”

The multi-sport European Championships Munich 2022, featuring Athletics, Beach Volleyball, Canoe Sprint, Cycling, Gymnastics, Table Tennis, Triathlon, Rowing, Sport Climbing, takes place 11th-21st August on the 50th anniversary of the Olympics Games in the Germany city. Watch daily live coverage across BBC One, Two, Red Button, BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website