BETH Potter is the first to admit that her decision to switch from athletics to triathlon was “crazy”. In January, the 25-year-old, who had risen through the athletics ranks to become established as one of Britain’s top 10,000m runners, announced she was swapping her running spikes for a tri-suit.

It was a decision that shocked many. Why would someone who was at the top of their running game, who had just become an Olympian, give that all up?

But triathlon had always held an attraction for Potter. A competitive swimmer when she was younger, she had long harboured ambitions to give it a shot.

And following the Rio Olympic Games, where she finished 34th in the 10,000m final, she completed the full set of major championships in athletics and so decided it was now or never for triathlon.

She handed in her notice at her teaching job in London and relocated to Leeds, the home of British Triathlon. The move was not easy.

“It was a big move – I gave up absolutely everything in London,” she said. “I gave up the security and income of a job and I gave up a sport where I had sponsors who supported me. But the sponsors dropped me when I switched to triathlon and I moved to a completely different city where I had no friends, and didn’t know anyone at all.”

Combining training for three sports is incredibly difficult and the Glaswegian admits there were times when she had serious doubts about her decision.

“I found it really, really hard at the start,” she said. “My tiredness levels were just through the roof. Initially, I made the mistake of still trying to do the same volume of running as well as the swimming and cycling and I really struggled, there were a lot of tears. For a while, every day I thought ‘what have I done, why have I done this'?”

Astonishingly, Potter qualified for the World Athletics Championships 10,000m, which London hosted in August and she was the first Briton over the line, finishing 21st.

However, she was adamant she would continue her assault on triathlon despite the struggles.

“I kept going because every single time I got on the bike or in the pool, I was getting better,” she said. “And I’m still seeing improvements - every time I get on the bike I find it easier and I feel myself getting better and it’s the same in the pool.”

Potter’s progress was quicker than anyone, including herself, anticipated. There had been many warnings from well-meaning observers that her progress would be slow. But Potter confounded expectations, winning the Cardiff Elite Triathlon in June before claiming her maiden international victor at the Funchal ETU Sprint Triathlon European Cup event in Portugal. It was a remarkable result and one that silenced the doubters.

Potter admits she has been shocked at how well things have gone since overcoming the initial obstacles of the move.

“It’s taken me by surprise how well it’s gone because I really didn’t have any expectations coming into this year,” she said. “I did set some big goals which I think people thought were a bit ambitious but I’ve met every target I’ve set this year.”

Having weathered the storm, Potter is now loving life as a triathlete. Training alongside some of the best triathletes in the world day in, day out, including the Brownlee brothers, Non Stanford and Jess Learmonth pushes her daily and Potter has recently bought her own place in Leeds, indicating she is in it for the long-haul.

Last winter, she did not have the luxury of focusing fully on triathlon training, something she will be able to do this winter. The 2018 Commonwealth Games are now less than five months away and with Potter having secured qualification in both the 10,000m and the triathlon, she could be unique in being the only Scot to double-up in Gold Coast.

However, that decision will not be made until nearer the time, with Potter conscious that overloading her body could risk damaging her chances in both athletics and triathlon.

Potter's brave move of switching sports now appears to be bearing fruit. That attitude will stand her in good stead as she moves up the ranks in triathlon but despite her performance improvements week on week, the absence of the financial support that she benefited from as a track athlete continues to make things tough. However, Potter did not get where she is now without taking the hard route.

“A lot have people have said that it takes balls to do what I’ve done but I feel like I am quite a ballsy person,” she said. “Elite sport is a short-lived career - there comes a time when you just can’t do it anymore. I’m only going to be able to do it for the next five to 10 years of my life so I’d have regretted it if I hadn’t tried this. I’m really enjoying it now and things are going well so I’m just looking forward to seeing what I can do next year.”