DORSET Pentathletes picked up two team titles at the South West Modern Triathlon Championships at Millfield School in Street.

Eighteen members travelled to Somerset for the national qualifying event which was a shoot-swim-run event with distances dependent on age.

The Dorset athletes certainly did their county proud and will all now go on to compete in the National Triathlon Finals in Solihull, Birmingham in November.

Tabitha Samouelle (third) and Shem Martin (second) set the standard in the 10-and-under section before Kara Hughes (first) led Ellie Gussey (fifth) and Kizzy Price (eighth) to team gold in the 12-and-under where Alex Felton (second) and Daniel Warland (third) also excelled.

There was then a team silver for Dorset in the 14-and-under where Harrison Yarnold (first), Jamie Price (fifth) and Hugh Ireland (sixth) produced the goods for the boys, along with Zoe Gowers (third), who captured bronze for the girls.

The 16-and-under team of Rebecca Bowles (first), Charlie Follett (second) and Victoria Halford (eighth) then secured another team gold before Harry Lane (third) grabbed a podium place in the youth boys’ 18-and-under.

For many of the Dorset athletes this was their first-ever experience of triathlon so to finish second club in the region behind the vastly more experienced Plymouth College was no mean feat.

Team coach Mick Flaherty said: “Once again the kids from the local area have done a great job.

“The time and effort of hours of training put in by the athletes each week over the last few months at running, shooting and swimming has paid off and I am delighted for them all.”

Dorset’s next big event is the Dorset Schools’ Biathlon at Leweston School in Sherborne on October 14 where 200 athletes have entered.

The club also holds regular running training at Lodmoor Park on Sundays and swimming at Osprey Leisure Centre on Portland.

For further details or to find out more about sponsorship opportunities at the club, email flaherty121@aol.com