MOUNT Kelly pupil and Tavistock Athletic Club member Matilda Purnell has been crowned U11 girls’ British biathlon champion in Leeds.

After qualifying through one of many tough regional heats the 10-year-old fought off more than 60 of the top girl athletes from all over the country at the South Leeds Stadium on November 24.

Matilda, who lives in Buckland Monachorum, competed in front of hundreds of spectators, clocked a two second personal best swim and an outstanding six second personal best in her run to pull through.

There were thousands of entrants that attempted to qualify in regional heats all over the country to compete at these prestigious national championships. The qualifying criteria to make it to the elite national competition was 2,000 points.

Matilda qualified for the finals as the third ranked athlete with 2,576pts. However, by breaking her personal bests she produced a stunning display to win by 63 points with a total of 2,732 points.

The yearly championships involve two disciplines and in her age category — Matilda undertook a 50 metre swim and then an 800 metre run with little time in between to catch her breath.

In the previous year she was placed second, achieving the same points as the winner but missed out by a whisker on a technicality of having a slightly slower swim time; however, there was no such controversy this year.

‘It was hard. I was exhausted but the hard work in training before the event with Joel (Knight from Mount Kelly) and Alastair (Kinsey, Tavistock Athletic Club) paid off in the end’, said Matilda.

Her mother, Sara Purnell said: ‘We are very proud. She is a very quiet and unassuming but determined little girl.’

Other notable performances at the championships included Olivia Purnell (Matilda’s younger sister, aged 8) and Caoimhe Dolby both competing at their first championships and fellow Tavistock Athletic Club members, the hard working Hess sisters Annabelle and Elena, all beating their previous best times.