WE all lead busy lives, whether it’s working, socialising, looking after family members or more than likely a combination of all these.

But it’s fair to say there’s one young Sedgemoor girl who made the rest of us look like slackers when it came to achieving things in 2014.

Connie Baker, of Nether Stowey, is a 14-year-old sports competitor who’s storming up through the ranks with a bright future, if the year she has had is anything to go by.

She competes during the winter months in the sport of Biathlon, which involves a 1500m run followed by a 200m swim. It’s a timed run and swim where points are awarded for times achieved.

Then, in the summer, Connie switches to Biathle mode, a similar sport that requires peak stamina as competitors must run 500m, swim 100m and then run another 500m to the finish line.

A biathle, which is run in transitions, meaning there are no breaks between the running and swimming, bears many similarities to the triathlon.

Both sports are governed by Pentathlon GB with the aim of letting athletes compete in multi-disciplines and potentially progress to the Olympic sport of pentathlon.

The year started with Connie competing for Bridgwater’s Haygrove School in the National Schools Biathlon Championships held at the iconic Aquatic Centre in the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

A total of 1,500 school-aged athletes took part over a sunny weekend in April as they walked in the shadows of their 2012 Olympic heroes like double Olympic gold medallist Rebecca Adlington.

Connie said: “I started off swimming and then three years ago I heard about it all through some friends. “I went along for training and I’ve not looked back – it’s all taken off from there really.”

She admits that although she has more than 30 medals and trophies marking her amazing achievements so far, she still gets a little nervy when it’s time to do what she does best.

“I do get really nervous before the event because I want to do well but afterwards I feel so amazing.” Despite occasional pre-flight nerves, Connie enjoyed a hugely successful summer campaign.

In May, the future sports star qualified to represent Great Britain in the Biathle World tour.

She travelled to Erding, near Munich, in Germany, with her proud family in July where a very strong Team GB had great success with Connie gaining a respectable 7th place.

Mum Tracy said this was her personal highlight of a year that has been crammed with her daughter’s successes.

She said: “Seeing her up on the blocks in April and in the National Schools Biathlon Championships following in the footsteps of many amazing sporting names, and then competing in Germany were incredibly proud moments for the entire family.”

As October came around, Connie made the switch back to Biathlon with instant success. She gained regional team gold and automatic qualification to the National Biathlon Championships held in Solihull where 700 athletes took part over a chilly weekend in November.

Connie, alongside fellow local athletes Elizabeth Tolley and Olivia Foice, took on a strong Under-15 girls team from Kent and achieved a well-deserved first place to be crowned British Champions. “It was a great end to the season,” said Connie.

“I would like to thank all my coaches for their support as well as Taunton Deane Swimming Club, Dorset Pentathletes and Taunton Athletes.”

She trains up to five times a week with these local clubs and also travels to Weymouth to train in open water.

As if all that high profile competing wasn’t enough action, Connie also got on her bike and took part in several triathlons in the area – something she wishes to pursue in 2015.

She also came fourth in the Bridgwater 5k run this year.

On the subject of the future, Connie has her sights firmly set on pushing forward into the New Year with her sport. “I’m hoping to qualify for the European Biathle Championships in May next year and that really could be my big break. I missed out by half a second before so, hopefully, I can qualify and then compete in the Championships in Kusadasi, Turkey, in October.”