A family of young athletes is making a name for themselves in the sport of obstacle course racing.
Siblings James, 16, Tommy, 14, and Chloe Jarman, 11, who attend Dame Allan’s Schools, are preparing to compete at the British Obstacle Course Racing (OCR) Youth Championships later this month, building on their recent success at the World Championships.
The trio train for hours each week on a custom-built obstacle rig in their garden, alongside parents Susan and Ross, who also compete in the sport at national and international level.
Tommy, in Year 10, said: "I’m really excited to do it again this year to try and improve my place.
"I feel like I’ve definitely improved in my running, so hopefully that’s going to give me the edge this year."
At the World Championships in Limerick, Ireland, Tommy won gold in the male U16 team relay and finished ninth in the 14–15 individual short-course event.
James won the open event after taking a break from racing last year to focus on his GCSEs.
Chloe, a Year 7 pupil, was ranked 17th in the world in her age category at the 2025 World Championships in Sweden.
She said: "Every obstacle race is different – different course, different obstacles.
"You can’t really know what to expect, so you’ve just got to hope for the best."
The siblings will compete at the British OCR Youth Championships on October 17 at Forder’s Gym near Birmingham.
Tommy will race in the 14–17 age category over a 5km course, having finished second last year, while Chloe returns after finishing fourth last year.
The Jarman family’s journey in OCR began with mother Susan, who took part in her first Total Warrior event in 2015 as a charity challenge and quickly developed a passion for the sport.
She said: "I thought it looked like the worst thing in the world – especially the mud and water.
"But I really loved it.
"I kind of got hooked from the first moment I did it."
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A keen runner before trying OCR, Susan went on to qualify for the UK OCR Championships in 2016 and the World Championships in 2018.
The children were introduced to the sport through their parents and began competing in junior events.
Neil Seaton, principal at Dame Allan’s Schools, said: "It’s great to see the three of them competing at such a high level, especially in a sport that requires so much discipline and grit, and making the most of the co-curricular clubs at school when they train.
"We wish Tommy and Chloe the very best of luck at the British Youth Championships."