SWINDON Harriers rookie Harriet Hillman is celebrating a remarkable achievement.

Still only 10 years old, Harriet successfully retained her age group title at the European Biathle Championships in Setabul, Portugal.

She beat a strong field of 19 athletes, comprising her GB team-mates, Portuguese, Spanish, Turkish and girls from Belarus, to keep hold of the age group title she won 12 months ago in Turkey.

“She had a good start in the first run (400m) and entered the 50m swim (in the sea) in first position after her transition,” said her Harriers coach John Dill.

“She maintained her lead in the swim and went in to the second 400m run with a good pace, crossing the finish line in first place and securing her second consecutive European title.”

Harriet, who as well as competing for Swindon Harriers is also a member of Tigersharks ASC, earned her place in the GB team after winning the qualifying event at Millfield School, Somerset, in May.

In Portugal, due to the number of competitors, she also had to qualify on the Saturday to reach the final on the Sunday.

The Portugal win has now set up Harriet, who lives in Cricklade and is a pupil at St Margaret’s Prep School in Calne, for her next big challenge.

“Harriet has the National Biathle Championships at the end of July where she hopes to qualify for the World Championships in Sarasota, US, in October,” added Dill.

The youngster actually qualified for the World Championships last year in Georgia but had to withdraw due to an Achilles tendon injury, so is hoping she can qualify again and make it to America.

She is also a scholarship recipient of Wiltshire Council’s ‘funding future Olympians’ programme and GLL sports foundation.