Biathle

BRIDPORT'S Abbie Letherby produced an excellent performance in the sixth Biathle World Championships in Germany.

The 12-year-old Sir John Colfox School youngster was 11th out of 31 competitors in her age group, helping Great Britain to a close second place behind South Africa.

Competing in the discipline, which requires athletes to run, swim and run consecutively without rest over varied distances, for the first time at this level, she started with a high speed sprint to the first corner of the first 500 metre run.

Settling in just behind the leading group, a nervous Letherby was able to keep up with the pace and then consolidated her position in the 50m swim.

The field then started to stretch out in the final 500m run, but she hung on to cross the line with an excellent time of 5min 4.3sec.

The championship attracted more than 300 competitors from 20 countries.

Athletes aged from seven to 70, gathered on the side of lake Ettwieser-Weither in Bavaria to brave a slippery cross-country run circuit and cold, murky lake swim.

All the Great Britain team members had previously qualified as one of the top six in the British championships held at Millfield in July.

Western region and national coach Mick Flaherty said: "I'm proud of their efforts, and impressed by their achievements after only a short time in Biathle.

"They are a credit to the Great Britain team and their local clubs."

Letherby trains regularly with Dorchester Athletics Club and South Dorset Tornadoes Swimming Club. She also received valuable sponsorship from the Rotary Club of Bridport.