LOCAL athlete, Zoe Addinsall, continues to take strides in her development, claiming the 2023 Australian Championships Modern Pentathlon Australia Under-21 title last weekend.

Addinsall opted to move up to the Under-21 section, despite only being 15, allowing her to complete the full event, with the riding element reduced for the lower age groups.

Addinsall dominated the event and would have finished third if she competed in the senior section, going third fastest in the swimming to claim the national title at Melbourne’s Caulfield Grammar.

If she had have entered seniors, she would have finished third, with the local going into the three-day event with a solid preparation.

"I expected to go into it with a strong performance, I had a training week leading in, but certainly did better than what I thought I would,” Addinsall said.

"My swimming was really good, I beat some of the seniors and I got a PB, then my riding, me and another girl had the best jumps for the day at 1.1.”

Stepping up into the Under-21 also meant the running and swimming was a longer distance, but that didn’t bother Addinsall.

"I adjusted pretty well, I would rather do further distance, having the ride was a lot better, so when I compete overseas, I know what the standard.”

There is no rest for the local, getting straight back into training with another overseas competition on the radar.

“I am going to Bath in England for World Championships at the end of August,” she said.

"I am competing in the Under-17s, then I will go into the Olympic qualifying Under-30 in September.

“There are four Australians selected and I am going to go there and see how I go.

“I am only 15 and everyone else is in their 20s, so I was like why not, it is a once in a lifetime opportunity.”