A teenage triathlete has been training in a paddling pool in freezing temperatures

A teenage triathlete has been training in a paddling pool in his garden in freezing temperatures - but spends more time putting on his wetsuit than training due to the cold.

Struan Bennet, 16, from Milnathort, Kinross-shire, has his sights set on the junior ETU European Triathlon championships which takes place in Austria in June.

He first needs to compete in a selection race going ahead in Llanelli, Wales, in May.

The teenager came ninth in the British Championships for Triathlons for his age group in 2019, but missed out on competing to qualify as an elite athlete last year due to Covid.

Under current restrictions in Scotland, only elite sports players are allowed to use swimming facilities in leisure centres for training purposes.

The Kinross High School pupil said training in a paddling pool hasn't been ideal, but he hasn't let the situation faze him.

Struan said: "I've been keeping up my training as best I can but I am worried it will just feel so different being in a normal pool again after training in this.

"It's much different from swimming in a normal pool so your technique is quite different.

"I wasn't far off a professional level before, but I'm not sure what speed I'll be at now.

"I'm mostly looking forward to the race in May, I'd say that overrides any nerves I have." The paddling pool is 12ft round, and cost £300 plus £50 a year for chemicals.

The teen swims in the paddling pool three to four times a week but can only manage short stints due to the cold.

He also tried warming his wetsuit by filling it with hand warmers and pouring boiling water into it before a dip He occasionally swims at the Loch Leven, near his home "which isn't much warmer." Struan added: "I've also been cycling five times a week and running four times a week as part of my training." Mum-of-two Lynne Bennet, 51, has been impressed with his focus and determination with her son's training.

She said: "It takes longer to put on the wetsuit than it does to train with it being so cold.

"The temperature he's been swimming in is around 5C.

"We've asked neighbours for advice on how to heat it.

"We've tried warming his wetsuit by filling it with hand warmers and pouring boiling water into it before a dip but this doesn't seem to last long." "In April last year, I showed him a Facebook post I think one of the coaches had shared of someone in the Netherlands swimming in a paddling pool.

"He asked if we could get one so we measured him to know what length and depth to get.

"We have chickens in the garden so had to fence off an area so they wouldn't peck at it.

"We've also had to buy chemicals to keep the water clean and other bits and bobs like a pool cover." Mrs Bennet has been in touch with Triathlon Scotland and hopes Struan can gain access to pools where elite swimmers are training ahead of the big race in May.

She added: "I'm really proud of him, he's been working really hard for this.

"I'm a volunteer swim coach and you can see in the video of him swimming technique isn't perfect.

"That's not how he normally swims, it's just so cold.

"With something like this, you need to keep the momentum going it's not something you can wait until you're older to do.

"It'll be a good experience for him to compete in a race like this."

A teenage triathlete has been training in a paddling pool in his garden in freezing temperatures - but spends more time putting on his wetsuit than training due to the cold.

Struan Bennet, 16, from Milnathort, Kinross-shire, has his sights set on the junior ETU European Triathlon championships which takes place in Austria in June.

He first needs to compete in a selection race going ahead in Llanelli, Wales, in May.

The teenager came ninth in the British Championships for Triathlons for his age group in 2019, but missed out on competing to qualify as an elite athlete last year due to Covid.

Under current restrictions in Scotland, only elite sports players are allowed to use swimming facilities in leisure centres for training purposes.

The Kinross High School pupil said training in a paddling pool hasn't been ideal, but he hasn't let the situation faze him.

Struan said: "I've been keeping up my training as best I can but I am worried it will just feel so different being in a normal pool again after training in this.

"It's much different from swimming in a normal pool so your technique is quite different.

"I wasn't far off a professional level before, but I'm not sure what speed I'll be at now.

"I'm mostly looking forward to the race in May, I'd say that overrides any nerves I have." The paddling pool is 12ft round, and cost £300 plus £50 a year for chemicals.

The teen swims in the paddling pool three to four times a week but can only manage short stints due to the cold.

He also tried warming his wetsuit by filling it with hand warmers and pouring boiling water into it before a dip He occasionally swims at the Loch Leven, near his home "which isn't much warmer." Struan added: "I've also been cycling five times a week and running four times a week as part of my training." Mum-of-two Lynne Bennet, 51, has been impressed with his focus and determination with her son's training.

She said: "It takes longer to put on the wetsuit than it does to train with it being so cold.

"The temperature he's been swimming in is around 5C.

"We've asked neighbours for advice on how to heat it.

"We've tried warming his wetsuit by filling it with hand warmers and pouring boiling water into it before a dip but this doesn't seem to last long." "In April last year, I showed him a Facebook post I think one of the coaches had shared of someone in the Netherlands swimming in a paddling pool.

"He asked if we could get one so we measured him to know what length and depth to get.

"We have chickens in the garden so had to fence off an area so they wouldn't peck at it.

"We've also had to buy chemicals to keep the water clean and other bits and bobs like a pool cover." Mrs Bennet has been in touch with Triathlon Scotland and hopes Struan can gain access to pools where elite swimmers are training ahead of the big race in May.

She added: "I'm really proud of him, he's been working really hard for this.

"I'm a volunteer swim coach and you can see in the video of him swimming technique isn't perfect.

"That's not how he normally swims, it's just so cold.

"With something like this, you need to keep the momentum going it's not something you can wait until you're older to do.

"It'll be a good experience for him to compete in a race like this."