DORSET Pentathletes have been crowned champions at the first National Triathle Championships at Leweston School.

This event was a qualifying race to select a Great Britain team for the World Triathle that takes place in Florida on October 21.

The Triathle is an event that is run under the Modern Pentathlon, and is a continuous shoot-swim-run event. Each competitor takes part in a set distance for the run and swim, and does laser shooting from a set distance and must get five green lights in the centre of target.

The shoot-swim-run is then performed four times through in a continuous rotation from shoot, to swim, to run.

A total of 25 members of the Dorset Pentathletes team took part in this event taking eight gold medals to be crowned champions, with four silver and three bronze. A whopping 19 team members were then selected for Great Britain, which shows the depth that the club has.

The first event of the day was the boys’ and girls’ under-9 competition, and Molly Colwell took gold beating all the boys and became the first ever British Triathle champion, with Nikita Miah in bronze.

In the under-13 girls’ event the club had four competitors with Tottie Taylor coming third, Lily Amor fourth, Vivian Taylor fifth and Jessica Stevens coming home seventh.

In the boys’ race the club took a first and second with Jack Amor claiming gold and Joe Ashworth silver. Ryan Openshaw also finished fifth with Khalid Miah sixth.

The club had more success in the girls’ under-15 event, with Amy Northam taking gold and Estella Depierre silver.

Amber Spillane was fifth with Sarah Carr seventh, Harriet Tuson 10th and Gemma Wyatt 12th.

Liam Openshaw secured gold in the boys’ under-15s with Shem Martin taking bronze.

In the girls’ under-17s, Sarah Wilson out sprinted Libby Tolley to take gold with Tolley in silver.

In the boys’ race George Case took gold, with Charlie Madden in fourth. Olivia Manson won gold in the girls’ under-19 category.

There were also masters’ races where Mary Collett took gold in the 60-plus section and Charlie Lane claimed silver in the 50-plus.

Team coach Mick Flaherty said: “Once again the athletes from the local area have done a great job in their efforts in this the first national Triathle.

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

* The following athletes have been selected for Great Britain:

Under-9: Molly Colwell

Under-13: Tottie Taylor, Lily Amor, Vivian Taylor, Jack Amor, Ryan Openshaw,

Under-15: Amy Northam, Estella Depierre, Amber Spillane, Liam Openshaw, Shem Martin

Under-17: Sarah Wilson, Libby Tolley, George Case, Charlie Madden

Under-19: Olivia Manson, Masters Charlie Lane, Mary Collett.

n George Case and Libby Tolley have been be put on to the Great Britain talent programme which is the next step to the Olympic pathway.

Both Case and Tolley have been selected for the Great Britain under-17 triathlon team for the European Championships. Zoe Gowers has been selected for the under-19 team for the Europeans.