YOUNG Amelie Smith, a pupil at Bentworth Primary School, had a summer holiday with the difference.

For the talented eight-year-old won a gold medal in the under-nines class at the European Championships in Germany after completing a biathlon, which meant she had to run, swim, and then run again.

Amelie, who from the age of four has loved running and swimming, received her trophy and medal from headteacher Jo Ayres at a school assembly at the start the autumn term.

On Monday Amelie, who lives at Basingstoke, told the Herald how excited she was when she heard she had won and how her mother Georgina, who went to Germany with her, and her dad Kevin, help her to train.

She is a member of the Wessex Wyvern Modern Pentathlon Club at Basingstoke, and trains usually twice a week and swims at the Aquadrome.

Amelie was joined by two of her classmates, Ruby Taylor, from Four Marks, and Holly Shannon, from Alton, who are both seven, and they too have won medals.

Along with Amelie, they represented Bentworth School at the Basingstoke Biathlon on October 6, by swimming a length and then running round the track at Down Grange Athletic Centre, also in Basingstoke, to beat 11 other teams and win the under-nines class. They were presented with the winner’s medals which they wore to school on Monday.

Ruby, who has only started training, said she felt very tired after the running, and Holly, said how excited she was winning her medal.

At the moment none have ambitions to be full time athletes when they grow up.

They are very happy at Bentworth School, where Amelie likes doing drama, Ruby loves maths and Holly art.

A spokesman for the school said they were not only proud of Amelie winning a gold medal but of all three winning medals for Bentworth School.