Murray, who won gold at the Victoria 1994 Commonwealth Games and Olympic bronze at the Seoul 1988 Games, was joined by elite Scottish triathlete Kerry Lang and Scottish Triathlon junior squad athletes Gavin Alexander and Cliona Ferguson for a triathlon master-class in Strathclyde Country Park.

Murray also took the opportunity to announce that she will very briefly be coming out of retirement to participate in the Strathclyde Park Triathlon Novice race as part of a relay team which will be known as Team Murray.

Murray said: "I am delighted to be here in Strathclyde Country Park today helping to launch the first leg of the British Triathlon Super Series. 

"It is fantastic that all the athletes, whether elite or novice, will get the opportunity to compete at the triathlon venue for the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

"I have never been part of a triathlon team before, so am really looking forward to pulling on the running shoes again."

Over 100 elite athletes will complete in the Super Series event which will also see the race hold ITU Triathlon European Cup status and signifies the first ever ITU Triathlon European Cup event to be held in Scotland.

In addition to the elite athletes, there will be hundreds of age-group athletes competing in two distances; novice - 300m swim, 10km cycle and 2.5km run and sprint over 750m swim, 20km cycle and 5km run.  

Glasgow-based Lang, who put Murray through her paces in today’s master-class, is looking forward to the start of the Super Series.

She said: "I always look forward to the start of the season and I am delighted that the British Triathlon Super Series starts in Strathclyde Country Park, which is my home race. 

"I have always enjoyed competing at the venue which will be used for the 2014 Commonwealth Games and any opportunity I get to race here is fantastic.      

"This year’s field is likely to be bigger and better than ever with the incorporation of the ITU European Cup so I am looking forward to a very tough race. 

"Between now and then I will be getting a domestic and an international race in, so I will be more than ready for the European Cup race in Strathclyde on May 23."

Zara Hyde Peters, the chief executive of British Triathlon and a track rival of Murray’s during the early 1990s, is delighted that Murray is lending her support to the event.

She said: "Yvonne is one of the most celebrated British and Scottish athletes and we are really pleased she is taking the time to support today’s launch and then participating in the Novice race in May.

"I will be watching Team Murray with interest, not only who they recruit but also how they perform on the day.

"I have no doubt with Yvonne involved they will all enjoy the event and successfully achieve their triathlon challenge."

Hyde Peters, who ran for England when Murray won her gold medal for Scotland over 10,000 metres at the 1994 Commonwealth Games, added: "We are very proud to be bringing an ITU Triathlon European Cup event to Scotland for the first time.

"Strathclyde Park has demonstrated its suitability as a setting for world class triathlon events and North Lanarkshire and Event Scotland have made this a venue we keep going back to. 

"This event will give our domestic athletes a great opportunity to take on a global field and gain valuable world ranking points."

The British Triathlon Super Series is a five series event and following the Strathclyde Park Triathlon in May, the Series will feature the Blenheim Triathlon (June 6), the Nokia Windsor Triathlon (June 13), the London Triathlon (August 2) and the Parc Bryn Bach Triathlon (September 19) later this year.

The Series aims to raise awareness and encourage participation in triathlon in the build up to London 2012.

For more details about the event in Strathclyde Park click here.

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