SHARP-SHOOTING Steph Bramley is gearing up for the British Modern Triathlon Championships following her success in the under-17s girls' category at the Yorkshire Regional Triathlon Championships at Queen Margaret's School, Escrick.

The national finals take place in Solihull on May 10-11, and Bramley, a Year 10 student at Malton School, will compete both as an individual and as part of the Yorkshire U17s Girls team.

This particular 'modern triathlon' - which builds towards the Olympic modern pentathlon - is different to the common triathlon that comprises swimming, cycling and running.

The modern pentathlon, as in the Olympics, comprises running, swimming, shooting, fencing and horse riding, and the triathlon competition Bramley competed in combined running, swimming and shooting - specifically a static shoot, a 200-metre swim, and a combined run and shoot, of three 800 metres with shoots in between.

Fencing is added into tetrathlons, in which Bramley will compete later this year, and horse riding is added to make pentathlons.

At Escrick, Bramley, who is a member of the Yorkshire Pentathlon Club based at Bishop Burton College, not only qualified for the national championships but also won the best shoot award and best combined run/shoot award in her category.

Bramley has also competed in the British Schools Biathlon Championships - comprising running and swimming - at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park, having qualified last November.

She finished 45th - a decent return given she was competing against national standard swimmers and runners - and now turns her focus to the triathlon in Solihull.

Rob Williams, Malton School headteacher, said: “Steph has performed brilliantly. Malton School boasts some of the best sporting facilities in the district. Steph has benefited from this and from our excellent PE staff, but this achievement is very much her own and she deserves great praise for her dedication and commitment.”