A 76-year-old grandad from Newcastle-under-Lyme has been voted Britain's best age-group athlete of 2025 after topping a nationwide poll.

David Juggins, from Westlands, has become the oldest ever male recipient of the award, run by Age Group News since 2020, after receiving 47.8 per cent of the public vote.

He won both World and European Duathlon titles, a sport which sees competitors complete a 5km run, a 20km bike, before a final 2.5km run, in his 75-79 Age-Group this season.

At the end of the season he was ranked the British number one athlete in his age-group following victories over Mick Anglim and Michael Smallwood, two of the world most decorated age-group athletes of all time.

It caps a remarkable rise for the former Mars sales manager, who is known on the circuit for the fanatical support of his large family who turned up in force to support him at the World Championships in Spain. 

Unlike some of his competitors who have been competing in duathlons for decades, the Trentham Running Club runner first qualified to represent the national age-group team in 2022 at the age of 72.

He finished fourth in the qualifier to scrape a place before winning bronze on debut at the 2023 70-74 Age Group European Championships in Venice.  

After moving up into the 75-79 age-group, he won the European Title in 2024.

advertisement

In 2025, he defended his European Title in Poland, added the World title in Spain and capped his rise as the most highly rated athlete in Britain across all age-groups of 2025. 

His victories secure him automatic qualification for next year's European and World Championships and the potential to extend his international medal run further still.