SAM Murray kicked off the new year with a victory at the opening modern pentathlon National Ranking Competition in Bath.
The East Lancashire athlete sat in second place after the opening two disciplines but took the lead after the laser run and maintained her advantage in the horse riding phase to take gold.
Murray, a silver medalist at the London 2012 Olympics, held off the challenge of Jess Varley with Joanna Muir in third.
Clitheroe's Murray picked up 19 victories in the opening fencing round to trail early leader Francesca Summers but Murray led the way in the pool with her time of 2.15.71 the quickest of the day.
That put the 28-year-old six seconds adrift of Summers and Murray made the break in a thrilling laser run to open up a lead which she then held in the horse riding finale.
Murray has now travelled to Italy for a fencing training camp ahead of the opening World Cup event of the year in Egypt from February 28-March 4.
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