VALE youngster Will Gearey won the British Modern Biathlon Championships under 12s title in Solihull.

The 11-year-old, in only his second biathlon event, qualified as fifth seed after winning the West Midlands competition in October.

The challenge at Tudor Grange involved an 800-metre run and 50m swim.

Carol Kennedy, head of Evesham’s St Egwin’s Middle School, where Gearey attends, said: “We are incredibly proud of Will and wish him good luck for what is shaping up to be a very bright future indeed.”

The Pershore Swimming Club member was seeded first in the 50-metre freestyle and powered to victory over Millfield School rival Rocco Cyzer in 28.03 seconds to collect 1,360 points.

Gearey’s time was the fastest for an 11-year-old boy since the championship began and put him top of the Amateur Swimming Association end-of-year rankings in the United Kingdom.

In the 800m run, Gearey was seeded 15th and finished ninth, with a new personal best, in two minutes 32.87 seconds for 1,333 points.

Gearey was national champion, with 2,693 points, ahead of Benjamin Nealon, of Milford Primary, on 2,630.

In swimming, he tops the UK rankings for his age group in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle, 50m and 100m butterfly, 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley.