Green & Chamizo victorious at GB Youth International

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Great Britain’s Olivia Green and Spain’s Cristian Chamizo started their seasons in fine style by claiming victories at the GB Youth International in Solihull yesterday (Saturday 4^th March). The competition, hosted in Solihull by Pentathlon GB, was the first youth international event of the year and saw over 50 athletes from across Europe competing.

In the girls’ event, Green enjoyed a comfortable victory over Portugal’s Maria Teixeira Migueis with British teammate Zoe Davison finishing 3^rd. Meanwhile, in the boys event a stunning laser-run from Chamizo saw him ease to victory ahead of Great Britain’s George Case and Germany’s Jan Kaufmann.

Girls’ Competition

The day started with the fencing discipline where Gloucestershire’s Davison topped the girls’ standings on 15 victories and 6 defeats. Behind the 18 year old Brit were a trio of athletes on 14 victories and 7 defeats – Hertfordshire’s Alexandra Bousfield, Germany’s Franziska Schamel and Croatia’s Anna Vuletic.

The girls’ swim was dominated by the British athletes in the field with the 10 quickest times all coming from home athletes. Top of the pile was Yorkshire Pentathlon’s Genna Suddes with an impressive 2:10.29, over 3 seconds ahead of Davison (2:13.55) in 2^nd with Plymouth College’s Georgina Mitchell just 0.06 seconds further back in 3^rd. It meant there was a British 1-2-3 ahead of the laser-run with Wycliffe’s Davison leading Bousfield and Green.

It was all change during the final discipline though with Lancashire’s Green moving into the lead during the second 800m, an advantage she wouldn’t relinquish. Portugal’s Maria Migueis Teixeira produced the quickest laser-run of the day to move from 12^th into silver medal position with Davison securing bronze.

Another athlete who produced an impressive laser-run was Leweston Pentathlon Academy’s Zoe Gowers which saw her move up to 4^th at the finish with Plymouth College’s Georgina Mitchell 5^th. Germany’s Anne Kleidon, who is also based at Plymouth College, finished 6^th ahead of teammates Lea Smirnov and Franziska Schamel. Portugal’s Margarida Cardoso came home 9^th with Alexandra Bousfield, the 5^th British athlete to finish, rounding out the top 10.

The other 8 Brits in the field were headed home by Hartpury College’s Jessica Sutton in 11^th with St Felix School’s Kamie Lowe 13^th, City of Lancaster Triathlon Club’s Emma Whitaker 14^th, Leweston Pentathlon Academy’s Libby Tolley 15^th, Millfield School’s Abby Lebus 16^th, Yorkshire Pentathlon’s Genna Suddes 18^th, Katie Hughes 21^st and North Kent MPC’s Gabriella Eltham 22^nd.

In the team event, Pentathlon GB’s Green, Davison and Gowers claimed gold with the German trio of Kleidon, Smirnov and Schamel taking silver.

Boys’ Competition

The boys also started their competition on the fencing pistes with Gemany’s Felix Doerks making a lightning start by winning his first 11 bouts. The 16 year old eventually finished with 22 victories and 7 defeats to top the discipline standings, 1 victory ahead of Somerset’s George Case, German teammate Dominik Olejarz and Portugal’s Joao Valido.

In the swim, Lincolnshire’s Will Swain recorded the quickest time of 1:58.00, 0.46 seconds ahead of Spain’s Marc Troya with Cornwall’s Nick Laws 3^rd quickest in 2:00.04. It meant the competition was fascinatingly poised ahead of the laser run with just 5 seconds covering the top 5 of Kieran Harby, Olejarz, Case, Valido and Chamizo and only 46 seconds separating the top 17.

Chamizo and Case made a break on the opening 800m lap before the Spaniard pulled away after the duo’s second visit to the range, eventually romping to victory in a stunning time of 11:23.25. It meant Case’s battle was behind and despite briefly being overtaken by the fast finishing Jan Kauffman with around 550m remaining, the Leweston Pentathlon Academy athlete regained his position to claim silver with Germany’s Kaufmann settling for bronze. Portugal’s Vasco Coelho also produced a strong laser-run to move up to 4^th meaning four different nationalities were represented in the top 4 positions.

Fellow Portuguese athlete Joao Valido crossed the line 5^th ahead of Germany’s Tim Knoche and Sweden’s Philip Dannfors. Hampshire’s George Budden finished as the second Brit in 8^th with Spain’s Marc Troya and Millfield School’s Nick Laws rounding out the top 10.

The remaining British athletes were led by Yorkshire Pentathlon’s Toby Price in 14^th with Will Swain 15^th, Hartpury College’s Oliver Murray 17^th, Yorkshire Pentathlon’s Josh Hood 19^th, Ashford School Pentathlon Club’s James Wilton 21^st, Yorkshire Pentathlon’s Kieran Harby 22^nd and West Midlands MPC’s Guy Anderson 25^th on his international debut.

The team event, taken from the top 3 individual scores was remarkably close with just 16 points separating the British, German and Portuguese teams. However, it was the British trio of Case, Budden and Laws that claimed team gold ahead of Germany’s Kaufmann, Knoche and Olejarz with Portugal’s Coelho, Valido and Fabiao taking bronze. The Irish team of Timothy O’Brien, Sean McNamara and James Coonan finished 4^th.

Full Results can be found here.

Report courtesy of Pentathlon GB