Athletics: Local shot putter fifth best in Lancashire

Shot-putter Jessica Jones represented Rossendale in the Lancashire Schools Athletics Games in Blackpool and came fifth.

Jessica said: “I won the shot-put at Rossendale Athletics Competition last summer at the City of Manchester athletics stadium. I had tried the sport previously in lessons at school.

“In Blackpool I didn’t know anyone. It was very cold and rainy and there were 11 girls in my section from all over Lancashire.

“We got three practise shots and then we did two that counted. My longest was 7.73m and the winning one was 10.6m, but that girl looked like she did a lot more training that I had.

Jessica, a student at Whitworth Community High School, attended the games with her parents Sarah and Peter and her younger brother Adam, eight.

Jessica went on to say: “It was nice for my parents to be there, they couldn’t go to the event in Manchester, and they were really proud with how well I did.”

Jessica is in the athletics club at school and also on the school trampolining team.