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Girls take the track to Bath

29/11/2007

FIVE Ellenbrook biathletes are hoping to represent their school on the national stage after putting in a top performance in a north west qualifier.

Nine-year-olds Hollie Barnes, Elly Brackenridge, Jennifer Hargreaves, Charlie Jones and Robyn Saunders all did Ellenbrook Primary School proud by winning the school’s Modern Biathlon north west qualifying tournament in Blackpool.

They are now waiting for the other regions’ results to see if they will make it to the national tournament to be held in Bath in February 2008.

The biathletes are required to each swim 50 metres under 40 seconds and run 1,000 metres in less than four minutes.

If the team members go over the time limit they lose points. The totals are totted up after all of the regional heats and the top teams are invited to the final.

Robyn’s father Craig helps organise the girls’ events.

He said: “It is quite an achievement to win the north west event and we now hope that the girls’ times and points score will see them qualify for the national finals.

“It is particularly impressive for our girls because they don’t have their own swimming pool or running track. Some of the prep schools, which we compete against, have access to their own facilities on site and have an obvious advantage.

“The girls have all worked very hard to get these results and it will be very deserved if they get through to the finals.”

The girls, who are all in year five, except Jenny, who is in year four, were awarded gold medals for their performances in Blackpool.

Robyn was the fastest biathlete overall and won a gold medal for her individual efforts too.

They beat off competition from Hunter Hall, Alderley Edge School for Girls, Stanwix, Chinley and Ellel St John’s. For the full results visit the website: www.mpagb.org.uk/results.