KENT'S international triathlete and cross-country runner Olly Freeman has achieved his greatest success to date - a silver medal in the Under-20s men’s race at the world triathlon championships in Funchal, Madeira.

Freeman, 18, from Smarden, near Ashford, is a student at Tonbridge School.

The race comprised a 750m swim in the warm but rather choppy sea outside the beautiful marina followed by a highly challenging and gruelling 20km cycle ride in the hills behind the capital.

Finally, there was a 5km run back through the central shopping and business district, which had been closed to traffic for the duration of the championships.

Freeman has now achieved a podium position in three consecutive major races. In last year’s world duathlon championships he won the silver medal and in the European triathlon championships he gave another excellent performance to take the bronze.