Young biathletes from Harrogate’s Ashville Junior and Senior schools have returned victorious from the Yorkshire Biathlon Championship 2016.
Team successes were had by the U9 Girls and U9 Boys teams. The girls, made up of Carys Waligora, Annie Scott and Jemima Herald finished 3rd overall in the team event.
Carys finished fourth overall and recorded the fastest swimming time of the tournament. Annie finished 11th and recorded the fastest run time of the Ashville team, whilst Jemima finished 12th overall.
The U9 boys had success with Jacob Brown, who finished second overall and had the fastest swim time of the heat he competed in.
In the U11 age group, the girls’ team of Agnes Pearson, Sadie Pringle and Audrey Otto finished third overall.
Agnes finished 7th overall with the fourth fastest swim time while the boys’ team of Oliver Riley, Oliver Grattoni-May and Ben Douglas finished second overall. Oliver Riley finished 5th overall and Ben recorded the third fastest swim time.
The U12 girls’ team of Olivia Goodall, Nicola Crack, Olivia Parris and Katie Blanden continued Ashville’s success by finishing 3rd overall, and Olivia Goodall was second overall.
On top of these stand-out team performances, Ashville also gained considerable individual success. In the U14’s section Finlay Waligora was first overall. The teenager recorded the fastest swim time.
Meanwhile, Charlotte Parris was second overall and recorded the fastest run time of the day in all age groups.
In the U15’s competition, Emma Moore was second overall and recorded the fastest swim time. Joe Moore also finished second overall and recorded the fastest swim time in the U16’s age group.
The highly successful day was rounded off by the U12 boys’ team. The team, made up of Lucas Waligora, Finn Wright, Johnny Scott and Jake Normanshire, won the team event.
Lucas was 1st overall with the fastest swim time and Finn was second with the fastest run time with Johnny 3rd & Jake 4th.
From these games, a group of Ashville pupils have qualified for the British Modern Biathlon Championships, being held in Solihull later next month. They are: Jacob Brown, Carys Waligora, Agnes Pearson, Lucas Waligora, Finn Wright, Johnny Scott, Jake Normanshire, Olivia Goodall, Nicola Crack, Finlay Waligora, Charlotte Parris, Emma Moore and Joe Moore.
Duncan Archer, Ashville College’s Head of swimming and Athletics, said:
It is an outstanding achievement to have such a record number of Ashville pupils qualifying for the National Finals.
This was a day that saw the competitors pulling out all the stops, resulting in such a superb set of results.
Ashville is fast becoming a byword for sporting excellence and our biathletes are leading the way.
We are now looking forward to November’s British Modern Biathlon Championships and further ahead, to next year’s Schools’ Championships where we hope to increase the number of Ashville pupils qualifying.
