SEVENTEEN gold medals were won by five Taunton students at the European Championships in Biathle and Triathle last week (October 6-9).

Tom Webb, Nic DuToit, Emily Miller, Tom Barnett and JJ Wells represented Great Britain in the UIPM Biathle/Triathle European Championships in Athens, Greece. Biathle consists of continuous run, swim, run distances and Triathle comprises of continuous run and swim distances alongside laser shooting.

Tom Webb, 14, from Bishops Hull, who attends Millfield School, won the U15 Boys Biathle, claimed team gold and gold in the Biathle mixed relay. Just a few days earlier Tom competed for the Southwest team in the London Mini Marathon Championships U15, placing 4th in a hotly contested sprint finish on The Mall.

Nic DuToit, 13, from Taunton, who attends Taunton Prep School, won gold in the U15 Boys Triathle mixed relay and two team golds in Biathle and Triathle.

Emily Miller, 13, from Othery, who attends King’s College, won the U15 Girls Triathle battling through the field to take the title.

Tom Barnett, 12, from near Ilminster, who attends Taunton Prep School, won gold in the U13 Boys Triathle as well as team gold, gold in the Triathle mixed relay, team gold in Biathle and silver in the U13 Boys Biathle.

JJ Wells, 10, from Taunton, who attends Taunton Prep School, achieved a superb clean sweep taking home a medal haul of six golds. He won the U11 Boys Biathle and the U11 Boys Triathle, as well as claiming team golds in both events, and won the Biathle and Triathle mixed relays.

The athletes competed against other GB entrants as well as competitors from 15 European nations, including Greece, Cyprus, Latvia and Germany.

They now head off to the UIPM Biathle/Triathle World Championships, in Madeira, at the end of October, where they will be aiming to go one better, against the best athletes from around the globe.