Local siblings eye Euro success

In recent weeks there have been a number of trials held by Pentathlon GB for selection to the European Championships later this year.

Teams will be selected for Biathle (Run/Swim/Run), Triathle (Shoot/Swim/Run) and Laser Run (Shooting and running).

Siblings Liam Neil (Yr 8 of St Gabriel’s School) and Sophie Neil (Yr 5 of Robert Sandilands) have competed in all three trials.

This year both are at the bottom of their age group and therefore entered with no great expectations.

Sophie in particular has had to compete against girls two years above at school whilst Liam has to compete against boys a year above.

The first trial was the Biathle, where Sophie gave a good account of herself and finished amongst her previous Great British team mates of similar age in seventeenth position.

Liam started with a very strong run and swim and came out into the second transition in third place, but a fall meant he lost several places and finished seventh.

Next up was the Laser Run, and Sophie had three very good shoots and runs, finishing in an excellent eighth and has now been confirmed as selected in this event.

Liam’s shooting was not up to his usual standard, but he relied on his strong running to tear through the field and finish seventh.

The final trial was in the Triathle, where Sophie was once again her solid self with a good combination of shooting, swimming and running and finished in a very respectable twelfth.

Liam was very frustrated with his shooting in the Laser Run at the previous trial, and he made up for this in his first two shoots and runs as he led the medallists.

He was never out of the top three as they then entered the swim after the third and final shoot.

Liam was never under threat in third and took the bronze, meaning he has now been confirmed as selected in all three events.

As both awaited their selection results, they competed in the British Schools Biathle Championships against athletes in their own year.

Sophie established herself in third very quickly on the first run, which was followed by good transitions and a strong swim that meant she entered the final run under no threat to her bronze medal.

Liam knew that he was against the third place from the trials and had a point to prove after his fall.

He left the field behind from the gun, completing an awesome set of disciplines to be confirmed British Schools champion and showing dominance over the bronze medallist from the trials.