Louisa out to hammer rivals

The Hastings Athletic Club hammer thrower has been selected to represent Great Britain at the World Youth (Under-18) Championships in Lille, France, from July 6-11.

James, who also took part in the Youth Olympics in Singapore last year, easily achieved the qualifying distance of 53 metres with a personal best throw of 56.13m in a Southern Women’s League meeting on April 30.

The 16-year-old from Sedlescombe continued her good form by coming third in the senior women’s event and winning the under-20 competition at the South of England Championships last weekend.

James, a Parkwood sixth form student who used to attend Claverham Community College, is the no.3 under-20 hammer thrower in the UK and no.8 in the world at youth level. Last year she broke the British record for a 15-year-old.