THERE'S a time and a place for everything, and for one Sidcup schoolboy, that place is South Africa, where he will be representing Great Britain in the annual Biathle.

A Biathle, in case you were wondering, combines running and swimming, and Chris Place, a pupil at Eltham College will take part in the 12-13 age group.

Chris will have to run 500 metres, and then wade out into the sea and swim 100 metres in the Indian Ocean, once the water reaches his waist-level.

He will swim around two marker buoys, come out of the sea, put his trainers back on, and then run another 500 metres.

The event is being held at Port Elizabeth next month and Chris earned his place in the team after he finished second in the National Modern Biath-lon Finals held in Sheffield

before Christmas.

This led to an invitation for the Year 8 pupil to attend the selection weekend at the National Centre for Excellence for Modern Pentathlon at Bath University.

Chris was put through his paces and assessed on his running and swimming over various distances. He has now been rewarded with first international tour.

Eltham College's swimming coach, Simon Wintle, was delighted, saying: “He deserves this success after all the hours of training he puts in before school. This is a well-earned recognition for a young athlete with a promising future.”

Around 40 athletes in various age groups will be making the trip.

Chris's mum Val, said: “We are really proud of him.”