Shropshire Star

Medal joy for Florida five

A group of youngsters from Bridgnorth returned from the World Biathle Championships in America with a haul of medals.

Published

Siblings Kody, Zoe and Charlotte Gilbody, and Dan Galloway and Jack Cole, brought home eight between them after the big event in Florida.

Kody, Zoe and Charlotte – competing in the under-11, under-15 and under-17 categories respectively – got bronze, gold and gold in their respective team events, representing Great Britain.

Galloway got an under-17s gold with his team too. Individually, Zoe grabbed a bronze medal and Galloway took silver. Cole, in the under-19s, finished sixth in a very competitive field.

And in the mixed relay, Galloway and partner Natalie Hatfield clinched gold, while Zoe and partner Kai Crawford won silver.

“It was a fantastic experience for all of them,” said Gayle Gilbody, mother of Kody, Zoe and Charlotte.

“I think it’s the most successful year Great Britain has had at the event, and it was the most competitive it has been. Biathle is a growing sport.”

Biathle is a continuous run-swim-run competition that consists of a pack start followed by a run and swim before a final run to the finish line.

Kody goes to Castlefields Primary School while Zoe and Charlotte attend Bridgnorth Endowed Girls’ School.

Galloway is a pupil at Oldbury Wells and Cole goes to King Edward College in Stourbridge.

A total of 34 countries took part in the world championships.