Rickmansworth triathlete Hannah Kitchen will head into this month’s European Championships in Spain full of confidence after her rich vein of form.

The former Watford Grammar School for Girls student recently competed at the National Age Group Sprint Championships at Belvoir Castle.

Kitchen finished in sixth in a time of 1.15.13, which was her highest position in the national event. It was a big improvement on her 12th place last year and her run time was the third fastest in 20.29 for the 5k.

Kitchen’s performance qualified her for the sprint distance race at the 2012 ETU European Age Group Championships in Eilat, Israel next April.

The Watford Harriers athlete was voted Oxford Brookes Sportswoman of the Year 2011 and also chosen as the ladies captain of the university’s running and athletics club.

Kitchen also impressed at the Eton Half Distance Triathlon (750m swim, 20k bike, 5k run) at Dorney Lake.

The Olympic rowing venue is one of her favourite courses and she finished second in the 20-24 female category in a time of 1.18.05.

This qualified Kitchen for the Beijing ITU World Age Group Triathlon Championships in September but she will not be able to attend because she will be concentrating on her final year of studying osteopathy at university.

Kitchen also finished third woman and first in the Under-35 section at the recent Eton Supersprint Triathlon at Dorney Lake.

Kitchen said: “I am racing at the European Championships in Pontevedra, Spain which I am really excited about after my recent race results.

“Training has been going very well, and after my experiences at the Europeans in Ireland last year and the worlds in Budapest, I can’t wait to get back out racing at an international event.

“This weekend I am heading up to Rother Valley Country Park, Rotherham to race my last sprint distance race before the Europeans,” she added.