An Ivychurch brother and sister have become national triathlon champions.

Ten-year-old Euan Nicholls and his 17-year-old sister Grace won their respective age group titles in the national championships at Wolverhampton, while their 12-year-old brother Max also achieved a sixth-place finish.

All the competitors had achieved top-eight positions in their regional events to qualify for the two-day championships, which included a run, swim and shoot.

Euan, a pupil at Ashford Friars Prep School, scored 65 out of a possible 100 in the shooting section and then his superb 34.9seconds 50m swim left him in second place overall going into the run section.

He knew that he had to beat the first-placed boy by 22 seconds and he achieved it by winning the 1000m run in 3mins 23secs to take the gold with 2948 points - 12 ahead of the runner-up.

His score also secured first place for the Youth E team from North Kent Modern Pentathlon Club. Grace, from Ashford School, finished sixth in her shoot with a personal best of 170 out of 200.

She worked hard to finish ninth in her 200m freestyle swim in 2mins 29secs before heading into the final event, the 3000m run, in third place.

She led from the gun and won by over half-a-minute in 10mins 20secs to win with an overall total of 1240 points.

Max, also from Ashford School, finished sixth in his age group after coming second in his run, fourth in his swim and 17th in his shoot.

Another Ashford School pupil Alice Doughty from Bethersden, finished 10th in the same age group (11th shoot, 17th run and 22nd swim).

Grace’s mother Sian said: “The children are grateful to their PE teacher, Stephanie Orr, who gives up so much of her own time to train, encourage and develop their skills.”