Sally Scott's hopes already soaring (UK)

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/562 ... e=r_health

Sally's Hopes Already Soaring

By Stuart Rayner
One of Britain's great hopes for the 2012 Olympics will be getting an early taste of championship action in Gateshead this afternoon.
Although only 15, Morpeth's Sally Scott is already carving out an impressive reputation in women's athletics and will be looking to further that in the English Schools Athletics Association Championships, which take place at the International Stadium today and tomorrow.
The pole vaulter will be jumping in the intermediate event but has already made her mark at senior level, finishing second in January's North of England AA Indoor Senior Championships with a jump of 3.40 in Sheffield ( the joint sixth highest mark of all time by a British woman indoors.
This, though, will be her debut at the ESAA Championships, an event which has launched the careers of most top British athletes, including North-East Olympians Jonathan Edwards and Chris Tomlinson.
"This is my first year so I'm quite excited," Scott says of the prospect. "It's a new experience. I always get a bit nervous when I compete but I should be all right for this."
Scott's enthusiasm for the event comes partly from her dad and coach, Jamie ( a former Newcastle United footballer and pole vaulter in his youth ( and the unique challenges it poses.
"My dad did it when he was little and we saw an advert in the paper one day so I just went along and did it and I thought it was really good.

"I really enjoyed it because it's so different to any other sport. It's like nothing I've ever done before. There's so many points to it that you have to try something new every session."
Scott will be 21 when the Olympic Games return to these shores and, like most young athletes, has been inspired by the challenge.
"When the bid was first announced it made me want to do well for my country in my own country," she says.
Tynedale's Tim Parkin, 14, will be hoping to make it a Durham double in the pole vault. Fifth last year, Parkin ( like Scott a member of Gateshead Harriers ( returns this year as AAA Under-15s champion and hopes his extra experience and home advantage will prove telling.
"Last year it was at Birmingham and I had to travel down," he says, "so it will be good to compete in front of my home crowd.

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/sport/at ... -20333766/

Soaring Sally in pole position
Jan 10 2008 Evening Chronicle
SALLY SCOTT soared into the New Year with a new pole vault personal best.
The 16-year-old Gateshead Harrier cleared 3.90m at a competition in Loughborough, a height 10cm better than her lifetime best outdoors and a huge 19cm improvement on her best indoors.
The talented teenager’s efforts represented a UK age best for a 16-year-old and her clearance also put her equal top for 17-year-olds.
Scott’s clearance is just 5cm short of the qualifying height for this year’s World Junior Championships.
However, she has a number of other competitions lined up in the coming weeks, including an elite pole vault contest in Sheffield this Saturday.