Top teen athlete from Rochdale taking part in Diamond League and School Games

One of the UK’s best teenage athletes, from Rochdale, is taking part in the Diamond League and School Games.

Holly Murray, 15, is currently ranked first in the North West at 200/300m, and 16th in the UK.

A pupil at Wardle Academy, Holly is competing in the televised Diamond League event in Birmingham this weekend with three other members of Stockport Harriers women’s U17 team, which is ranked second in the north west with a personal best of 48.7 seconds.

The IAAF Diamond League is an annual series of elite track and field athletic competitions.

Holly, who began running in 2016, joined Stockport Harriers after previously training with Sale Harriers. Prior to this, she was a member of Bury Athletics Club.

The teenager began competing in the 100m and long jump, before progressing to 200m and 300m, her favourite distance.

She already has an impressive record of success, having recently achieved a new personal best of 25.23s in the 200m at the Northern Athletics Senior Championships in June.

Jo Murray, her mum, said: “Due to her commitment and talent, Holly has been lucky enough to get first and second place mainly in competitions.

“We moved her to get her with a superb coach, Joe Frost, who has been superb for Holly. The support, guidance and encouragement from him has made an enormous difference, and she has progressed quickly with him as her coach.

“Throughout primary school, Holly did the 'mini stars' and won it every year. She was always very fast as a very young child and was noticed by her PE teacher, Debbie Brand at St James. She encouraged Holly to attend a running club.

“We are very grateful to her for pushing Holly as she did because she has got very far in such a small space of time.

“Sarah Bowler at Wardle Academy has also encouraged Holly right from the beginning of senior school. She has done so much for Holly, encouraging and supporting her that I can never be grateful enough for her.”

She added: “I am just so very proud of Holly.”

Holly has also been selected to be part of the Athletics squad at the 2018 School Games – a national multi-sport event for the UK’s most talented school-age athletes taking place at Loughborough University from 30 August to 2 September.

She will compete for the England North squad in the 300m sprint.

Over 1,400 athletes will compete across 11 sports at the School Games, five of which include disability disciplines. This year the School Games has introduced four new sports (Canoeing & Rowing, Laser Run, Netball and Triathlon). The event will give many young people, across a variety of different sports, an experience of high-level competition in a multi-sport environment similar to an Olympic or Paralympic Games.