HELSBY High School athletics supremo Emma Scott, 14, has been making an annual pilgrimage to the Aviva UK Sportshall Final since the age of nine but, while claiming back-to-back silver medals in the last two years, she had never topped the podium.

However, that monkey was firmly removed from her back in Birmingham as she won speed bounce gold with a new personal best score.

And, after writing her name into the Sportshall history books alongside the likes of Kelly Sotherton and Mark Lewis-Francis, who enjoyed success in 1992 and 1998 respectively before going on to Olympics Games glory, Emma admitted the taste of victory was all the sweeter having been so long in coming.

“I have been trying to win speed bounce gold ever since I was old enough to enter Sportshall and finally I have managed to do it,” said Emma, who competes for Halton & Frodsham Harriers.