GNicholson

Last updated 01:00, Wednesday, 18 July 2007

DOUBLE Olympic champion Daley Thompson saluted Laura Park after the Cumbrian schoolgirl continued her incredible run of form at the weekend.

The 15-year-old athlete, from Dearham, won a silver medal in the intermediate girls event at the English Schools Athletics Association Sainsbury’s Track & Field Championships in Birmingham.

Laura ran the 3,000 metre event in 9:48.50 to grab second place at the Alexander Stadium on Saturday.

She said: “I was the fourth fastest on paper before this race, so to finish anywhere above that was great.”

The Ellenborough Athletics Club ace is the British and Irish Under-17 cross-country champion, having also won the British Fell running Championship, the English Club Cross Country championship and the English Schools Cross Country Championship.

Last Saturday’s championships, which were shown live on Sky Sports, are the pinnacle of the English Schools sporting calendar, with former winners including decathlete Thompson as well as Dame Kelly Holmes, Paula Radcliffe, Denise Lewis and Jonathan Edwards.

In the build-up to the championships, Thompson had hosted a series of Sainsbury’s Futures coaching seminars. Thompson, who attended the event in Birmingham, said: “I love coming to watch the championships.

“Laura Park is certainly one of those who impressed this weekend. It bodes well for the future of athletics in this country up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond.”