Primary athletes battle it out in annual triathlon
Lochaber Primary Schools Triathlon took place last week as part of the Active Schools, Lochaber Leisure Centre and Primary PE annual calendar of events.
It consists of swim, bike and run legs, with each school entering a mixed team of three pupils.
Three swimmers at this year’s event managed to break the three-minute barrier for the 200m swim, a feat which has only been achieved once before by Evie-Jay Clark in 2016, who still retains the record for the championships.
Calum Stewart, from Bunsgoil Ghàidhlig Loch Abar, took the gold in a time of 2.52, with Andzelina Gerasimuka from Lundavra and Mya MacCallum from Invergarry touching at the same time to share the silver, posting a time of 2.59.
Swim over, the event moved to the Braveheart car park where the bikers were ready to take on their 4km ride. The event was won comfortably by Aiden Cummings in an impressive time of 10.02, with second place going to Lex Edgar from Inverlochy, in 10.21. Alan Cameron from Spean Bridge took the bronze, completed the course in 10:30.
The run also started in the Braveheart car park with runners setting off up the steep path out of Braveheart, towards the Saltire rock on Cow Hill before dropping back down to the Leisure Centre.
Ross Loughray showed his fitness, taking first place in 9.03, followed by Dharas Barreno from Invergarry, in 9.21, with the third spot being claimed by Sandy Halewood, in a time of 9.30 – a full minute ahead of the fourthplaced runner.
At the end of the race the overall results were Lundarva first in a time of 23.33, Invergarry in second, completing the course in 23.55 and rounding off the podium in a time of 25.11 was Spean Bridge Primary.
A huge shout of congratulations has to go to all of the children who took part in what is a great introduction to multi-sport events and to the parents and teachers who took them along.
A massive thanks also went to Stevie Martin, both junior and senior, at Lochaber Leisure Centre for managing the swimming element, to No Fuss Events for donating medals, to the Lochaber High School pupils who marshalled the event and, of course, to the organisers.