SPORTING all-rounder Martin Smith, from Westruther has shot to the top of his game in his very first modern pentathlon event.
In the Scottish Saltires Modern Pentathlon Club championships in Aberdeen the 15-year-old Earlston High School pupil did a 200m timed swim, a fencing competition, a showjumping round on an unknown horse and a combined shoot/run event in the Youth B category.
The weekend started with the riding phase where the competitors watched several horses being ridden in a showjumping round before being allocated a horse and given a short time to ride in the practice arena. Riders can jump four practice fences before their showjumping round in the arena. Martin, who has represented his country in Junior Tetrathlon, rode a lovely clear round with no time penalties.
The next day, in the swimming phase Martin had a good swim leaving him in second place overall – a position he managed to hold after the fencing competition with only the combined shoot/run to go. Martin completed his first combined event in a super time but it wasn’t quite enough to overtake the overall leader and he finished in a highly commendable runner-up spot.
Martin’s next event will be the Modern Pentathlon British Triathlon Championships in Birmingham next month.
Martin would like to thank everyone who has helped with his training, especially Callum Crawford and Alison Affleck (Duns ASC).