It was an action-packed Michaelmas term for the Robinson College fifth-year veterinary medicine student, and she finished 2022 with a bag full of medals to show for her efforts.

Phoebe won team gold, along with Sannah Zaman, and an individual silver at the BUCS Hill Climb Championships on the bike; gold at the BUCS Duathlon, which was a 5km run, 21km cycle and 2.5km run at Castle Combe Race Circuit; success at the Cambridge University Cycling Club Hill Climb at Gog Magog; and team gold and individual silver at the Varsity Cross-Country, which was won by Cambridge team-mate Niamh Bridson Hubbard.

Having already earned recognition with Great Britain and England as a junior in cross-country running, success in the multi-sport events was a career progression.

“I’m relatively new to triathlon in that I only started competing last summer, before that, I was just cross-country,” says the 23-year-old, who is a member of the University of Cambridge Athlete Performance Programme which is made possible by a gift from Mark Hanson. “It was my first BUCS individual victory, the duathlon, which was exciting to get a national win. I had never got a cycling medal before so that was exciting, and it was just good to further my multi-sport success.”

Switching to triathlon was a result of suffering a stress fracture of the femur in November 2021.

“When I started cross-training for that, I set myself the goal of doing BUCS triathlon because I wanted to make the swimming and the bike worth it and give me an aim,” she explains.

“I did the first one in May, so the BUCS sprint, and was fifth at that which was probably better than I ever dreamt I was going to do, especially when I first set myself the goal.”

She was subsequently recruited by the Cambridge University Triathlon Club to race in the Varsity Match, and finished second, before competing over the standard distance at the BUCS Championships, where she was third. Phoebe is also a member of CUCC, Hare & Hounds and Cambridge University Athletics Club.

Phoebe, who is captain of the cycling club this year and captained the Hare & Hounds in 2020, was full of praise for the UCAPP scheme, which has been a key part in making it all possible.

“It’s been a great environment to be part of and surrounded by other athletes from the University who are also balancing studies, work and training,” she says.

“It’s been really good to have the mentoring and guidance from the UCAPP coaches. Before I did do a bit of S&C but I wouldn’t have the week-by-week progression.

“Looking back to last term, it is really satisfying to see the gap from the beginning to the end. Also, just having access to physio, nutritionists and psychologists for free have been really useful.

“I was diagnosed with a stomach condition about three years ago, and they found out it was due to a gluten intolerance but in that whole journey I had to take out quite a lot of food, so dairy, rice, eggs, gluten, and so having a nutritionist to check whether I was still having a balanced diet was really good.

“It is all those added extras that mean you’ve got support whether you’re ill, whether you’re injured, and then also helping you to improve your performance when you can race and are fit and healthy.”

As for what the year ahead holds, Phoebe has her eyes on the qualifying standards for the European and World Championships and competing internationally in triathlon.

She adds: “I think the triathlon is more fun just because it’s got more elements, but I’m better at the duathlon with the running and cycling being my stronger two disciplines.”