Burghclere secondary school pupil leaps to further victory

15-year-old now ninth best under-17 in world

A BURGHCLERE secondary school pupil whose athletic career has been boosted with a £500,000 package by a Newbury company has clinched another national title.

Clere school pupil, Holly Mills, aged 15, competed at the England Athletics under 17 and under 15 championships, in Bedford on August 29 and 30.

After a fine series of long jumps on the Saturday, she delivered with her fifth round effort of 6.14 metres to win the competition and be crowned national champion.

Among the crowd was long jump fan, Bob Rae, the managing director of BDZ Holdings Ltd, based in Oxford Street, Newbury, who recently unveiled a £500,000 package to support Holly, with hopes of propelling her towards competing in the Tokyo Olympics in 2020.

“Holly is a remarkable talent to be a double national champion competing in a category where most girls are much older,” said Mr Rae, himself a former national schoolboy long jumper.

“She deserves all our support over the next few years as we aim for Tokyo Olympics success in 2020.”

Recently ranked ninth in the world at under-17 level, Holly, of Hurstbourne Tarrant, has already gained a gold medal this year and won her first England vest in The Schools International Athletic Board Games in Grangemouth, Scotland.

She completed a hat-trick of national titles last September, when she won the England Athletics National long jump title, with a best of 5.76m.