Matthew Clough celebrates a big win. Photo suppliedLocal multisport athlete Matthew Clough has been amongst the medals again, this time at the New Zealand XTERRA Championships in Rotorua.

Clough placed first in the open short course category.

“It was my goal to come back home with a medal and that was what I managed to do,” he said.

The course is short only in name, with contestants tackling a 500m swim, a 16.5km mountain bike and 5.5km trail run.

“It was a good race, I came out of the water first and pulled away with another guy on the bikes and followed him on the run until I set my pace and overtook him.”

Clough said that hopefully next year he will tackle the long course event, but will have to wait before any world events due to being too young.

The next event in the Ashburton College student’s sights is the World Aquathlon Championships in Canada in August.

“I finished on the podium last year and would love to come back with a medal again and hopefully improve.

By Jaime Pitt - MacKay © The Ashburton Guardian - 5 May 2017