A YOUNG athlete is hoping to emulate her hero after jumping into the North-East record books. Long-jumper Chloe Gill, 11, of Blackhill, Consett, has twice broken the region's under-13 record.

She trains with Gateshead Harriers, the same club as world triple-jump champion Jonathan Edwards, and her feats are attracting attention from the Olympic gold medal-winner's former coach, Peter Stanley.

Proud mother Heather Gill said: "Peter doesn't take on anyone as young as Chloe, but he knows who she is. He always asks after her, how she is doing and keeps an interest."

Chloe, a pupil at St Bede's RC School in Lanchester, broke her own record at an indoor athletics competition in Jarrow. She beat girls a year older than her with an impressive jump of 4.30 metres.

"When she lines up against some of the other girls, they are absolutely massive compared to her. But she never lets it put her off - she absolutely loves it," said Mrs Gill. Chloe started out as a sprinter with Blackhill Bounders based at Blackfyne School in Consett, and took up long jumping by chance.

"She was always a fast runner and runs the 60m," said Mrs Gill. "She entered the long jump just for another thing to do at track competitions between races and has amazed us all."

At Jarrow on Sunday, Chloe won the N-E under-13s 60m sprint event in 8.6 seconds.