DORSET Pentathletes have finished the top team at the National Championships for the eighth year running.

This year’s competition saw one of the biggest entries in many years with more than 800 competitors taking part in the various age groups.

This year, 61 Pentathletes travelled north to Solihull to compete.

The athletes had to qualify through regional championships and the national ranking list with more than 7,000 athletes from around the country taking part.

This was the biggest squad from the club to qualify and take part in a national championship.

The Dorset Pentathletes repeated their success since 2007 of finishing as top team of the championships and came home with an excellent medal tally comprising seven team gold, six team silver, one team bronze, one individual gold, one individual silver, two individual bronze medallists and an impressive 17 athletes finishing in the top 10.

This year, the team were convincing winners with more team titles than any other club, which was the club’s best performance to date and makes them the most successful in the history of the competition.

This year’s event was held over two days – day one saw the younger age groups competing from under-10 up to under-12. These athletes had a swim of 50m and a run of 800m.

The under-12 girls took the club’s first team gold with Tabitha Samouelle, Abbie White and Anya Evans triumphant.

The under-10 boys claimed team bronze with Rocco Taylor, James Carr and Angus Evans competing, while the under-11 boys bagged team silver thanks to Josh Smith, Finn Pardy and Max Richardson.

The under-12 boys collected team silver through Charlie Cook, William Carr and Ajay Coombes, while the under-11 girls took team silver with Lily Amor, Alaxandra Palotai Avel and Anya Snowball starring.

Day two saw the older athletes competing and this was where the club really showed their strength in depth.

The under-12, under-13 and Masters run 1,600m and swim 100m with all other age groups swimming 200m and running 1,600m.

The first success of the day came in the under-14 girls who took team gold with Sarah Wil-son, Maddie Johnson and Portia Manson.

The under-15 girls also took team gold with Elizabeth Tolley, Connie Baker and Olivia Foice successful.

Also triumphant were the under-16 girls who claimed team gold thanks to Zoe Gowers, Alexandra Withey and Caitlin Wosika.

Meanwhile, the B team collected silver via Flora Johnson, India Cooper and Olivia Manson.

The under-17 girls took team gold with Aoife McCarthy, Georgie Kemp and Katherine Townsend and the B team earned silver through Connie Rey- nolds, Daisy Liddle and Georgie Lane.

The under-16 boys achieved team silver as Harry Buttle, Bradley Seager and Tom Boulton shone, while the under-17 boys took team gold with Harrison Yarnold, Elliot Laville and Jamie Price triumphant.

Not to be out done by all the success of the younger age groups, the Masters’ men took team gold with Andy Whittal (individual gold), Thomas Manson (bronze) and Mick Flaherty making up the team.

Amie Buttle took a individual silver in the under-19 girls, and Kay Evans bagged a bronze in the Masters’ woman.

Team coach Flaherty said: “Once again the athletes from the local area have done a great job in their efforts at the nationals to win so much and retain top club status.

“The time and effort of hours of training put in by the athletes each week over the last few months has paid off and has been shown with their results.

“I’d like to thank all the coaches from the various swimming and running clubs for all their support in preparing the athletes for this event.”

Next year the club will be entering the biathle and modern pentathlon events, plus the junior triathlon (swim/bike/run), which is new to the club.

There will be training days throughout the year and an Easter training camp from April 7-12 and a summer training camp (August 4-9), both at Leweston School, and regular weekly training in swimming, running, fencing, shooting and biking.

The club is also looking for any potential kit sponsor, so if you’re interested, contact Flaherty at flaherty121@aol.com