Young athlete a quintuple threat

Running, shooting: Zoe Addinsall represented Australia at the 2022 UIPM Laser Run World Championships in Portugal. Photo: SUPPLIED

WHAT was your favourite sport to play, or compete at, as a young person?

Ballarat Grammar student Zoe Addinsall doesn’t just love five sports, she’s a master of them all.

As the Victorian and Australian under-17 modern pentathlon champion, Addinsall is a high-level runner, swimmer, shooter, horse rider, and fencer.

Having qualified at the National Championships in April, she had the opportunity to represent the country at the 2022 UIPM Laser Run World Championships in Portugal last month, where she won a bronze medal in the mixed relay, and placed sixth individually.

“Laser Run is just the running and shooting components of pentathlon. You run 600 metres, come into your shooting bay, shoot a black circle five times, run again, shoot again, run, shoot, and then run,” Addinsall said.

“It was pretty overwhelming to represent Australia, and to be on the podium, but it was a really good opportunity.”

Addinsall said she enjoys being a part of the friendly pentathlon community, representing the unusual sport and her school.

“I love being able to do all my sports at once. It’s so unique. It’s great to be able to promote the sport through social media, and the news, and sometimes wear my school uniform when I compete.

“When the sport is shared online or in the newspaper, new people learn about it, and I hope it encourages other young people to try pentathlon,” she said.

Addinsall is the 2022 Victorian Pony Club State Under-17 Tetrathlon Champion, and was named the number one under-17 female tetrathlon winner at Pony Club Australia National Virtual Championships, aged 14.

The tetrathlon has four components – showjumping, running, shooting and swimming.

She received a Best Achievement by a Rider Aged 13 to 17 Years award from Pony Club Australia, has represented Ballarat Grammar in swimming, athletics, and cross-country running, and is a mentor to younger pentathletes.

In a few weeks’ time, Addinsall will head to Hamilton in New Zealand for a full five-event pentathlon competition, and a separate fencing meet.