REIGATE'S Tilly Hooper believes she can finally consign a niggling injury to the past after the teenage pole vaulter leapt to victory at the Sainsbury's 2014 School Games.
More than 1,600 talented school children descended on Manchester to compete in 12 sports across four action-packed days last week. And there were few brighter talents on show than 16-year-old Hooper, who won a closely-contested pole vault on countback with a jump of 3.60m.
And Hooper says she can use her experience as a springboard after fully shaking off an ankle injury she sustained last year.
"It feels so good to be a School Games champion, I'm so happy," said Hooper, who attends Reigate Grammar School.
"I was so shaky on my last vault that I had to go back because it was such a tight competition that it went to countback.
"I did just enough to get over the line. I'm usually more confident but it was okay. I'm happy to have won."
There was further success down on the track through Newdigate's Sophie Elliss, who clocked in at 11.49 seconds to grab silver in the 80m hurdles.
And Niamh Brown admitted she was determined to put in one final push and end her season on a high as she left Manchester clutching 3000m silver.
Victory went to long-time rival Harriet Knowles-Jones by almost 20 seconds, but 15-year-old Brown declared herself more than satisfied by her own performance.
"I'm really happy. It was the end of the season so I managed to stick on second," she said.
And Oxted high jumper Ocean Schwartz cleared a height of 1.96m to finish third place in the boys' high jump.
The Holland Sports athlete insists he can't be downhearted to walk away with a bronze medal given the high quality of his opposition.
"I'm really happy getting the bronze," the 16-year-old said. "The standard was so high at this event. I was hoping to get a medal but I wasn't sure if I'd get one. I think I could have done a little better but I'm not at all disappointed. The jumps went OK but I over-thought my technique a little bit.
"I got my personal best earlier in the season and since then I've just been trying to maintain that form."
The Sainsbury's 2014 School Games, which is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust, was held in venues across Manchester from 4-7 September 2014. Visit www.2014schoolgames.com for more information.
