EXPERIENCED sportsman Steve Griffiths reckons he met a Warrington star in the making during the World Triathlon Championships in Australia.

Griffiths, the 53-year-old former Woolston Rovers, Warrington Wolves and Salford Red Devils scrum half, revealed his pride in being ranked 70th globally after his swim, bike and run heroics for Team GB in the Gold Coast city he now calls home but was shouting from the rooftops about Great Sankey sixth-form student George Hill.

Steve Griffiths and George Hill at the Team GB parade on the Gold Coast, Australia

READ: How we previewed the World Triathlon Championships

The 16-year-old, who was 30th in the 16-20 years age group and 58th overall, impressed the fellow Warringtonian throughout the week in the Team GB camp.

"He actually qualified as a 15-year-old," said Griffiths, a medial manufacturer who specialises in the peripheral vascular field.

"His background has been swimming, but boy he can ride and run too!

 

George Hill during a training session for the World Triathlon Championships on the Gold Coast

"I took him on the Park Run the morning after arriving and he won that hilly sandy trail course in 18mins from a field of 250.

"George was in the 16-20 years age group of the triathlon and did a time of 1hr 2mins against my 1hr 16mins.

 
 
 

"He trains with Warrington Triathlon Club, who have an excellent coaching system.

"His coach is Steve Hibbert and says George has the potential to go all the way.

"Because of George's age, his dad Pete came along for the event too and be a guardian for him.

"His dad is a former Bolton Wanderers player, so the pedigree is there.

"George is a modest lad, who is grounded and understands the commitment required to be the best."

 

Griffiths revelled in being among the 300-strong GB team, who collected 10 medals including six gold.

"I am officially ranked 70th in the world from this race and mightily proud," he said.

"Apparently my parents were watching it live online as I sprinted up the blue carpet to the line.

"I know I made them happy and proud in that moment and took away all their pain from my dad's cancer at that moment.

 
 
 

"My time wasn't a PB but just off, in an against-the-current swim and 39kph winds.

"The bike is my strength and I got on the elite guys who came in the wave behind - five Aussies, an American, Canadian, Kiwi and myself and I got us all working like a pro breakaway.

"It was a phenomenal experience. The crowds were huge and hearing your name and Go GB was huge.

 

"This was the most amazing day of my sporting life.

"It was my day in the sun but make sure you give George the headlines."

 

World Triathlon Championships, from left, Mark Wrigley, George Hill, newly crowned women's champion Vicky Holland, and Steve Griffiths