JESS HIRST of Slaithwaite won a silver medal in the Yorkshire Championships at Dorothy Hyman Stadium in Barnsley.
The 12-year-old who attends Colne Valley Specialist Arts College competes for Halifax Harriers in discus and shot putt.
She was second in the discus, throwing 23.45m and finished just outside the medals in the shot putt, with 9.14m.
All this in her first year competing at Under 15 level, so they are both big achievements considering she is at least a year younger than the top-age throwers in this section.
The discus was won by Tony Buckingham of Barnsley, while Chloe Mitchell of Spenborough was third.
Jess is hoping to gain further medals at the Northern Championships in July and, hopefully, to qualify and compete at the English Schools’ Championships and National Championships this summer.
Originally a member of Holmfirth Harriers, she has competed since the age of nine.
She has benefited from specialist coaching at Halifax and her throwing continues to improve.
She finished last season ranked No6 in UK Under 13 girls shot putt, after throwing 9.94m and winning the Yorkshire Championships and West Yorkshire championships.
This season, moving up to Under 15s, she got shot putt bronze at the Northern Indoor Championships in January and finished fourth in the UK National Sportshall finals in April.
