Wye teenager Eleanor Lawrence-Preston put on an oar-some show alongside 1,500 other competitors at the British Rowing Indoor Championships at Brirmingham’s National Indoor Arena.

The Monmouth Comprehensive pupil pulled her way to an impressive national silver in the Year 11 girls’ category – a first ever medal at the event for a member of the school club.

Racing on Concept ergometer rowing machines in a 37-strong field over six minutes, she lay sixth on the giant computer read out after a minute, but was third at half way, just 2m down on Bella Mcdonald of Bradford Grammar School and Hereford RC’s Megan Panniers.

And hitting the last two minutes, she surged past her fellow Wye rower to take second, and stormed home to finish on 1642m just 8m back on the Bradford winner and 31m clear of Hereford’s bronze medallist.

A proud Monmouth Comprehensive Boat Club posted: “A big congratulations to Eleanor for coming 2nd at the British Rowing indoor championship in the year 11 Girls 6 mins!

“Eleanor becomes the first ever member from MCSBC to win a medal at the British Rowing Indoor Championships.”

Monmouth School for Boys’ Hugh Major also went close finishing fifth out of 30 in the Year 11 boys, covering 1723m, with club mate Rhys Davies 13th.

Hugh went even closer in the Year 11 500m sprint, shaded out of bronze by just a tenth of a second as he finished in 1min 28.8secs, with Rhys this time up to eighth in the 30-strong field.