RICHMOND teenager Joanne Jackson won her first ever senior title at the European Short Course Championships in Dublin last weekend.

The 17-year-old Durham Aquatics swimmer, relatively new to both the senior fold and the 400m freestyle event, led from the start to take the distance event crown in a new personal best time of 4:04.00 - an improvement of more than four seconds.

And there was more for the large British squad to celebrate when Jackson's team-mate Rebecca Cooke took silver in 4:04.80 ahead of Melissa Caballero of Spain and Regina Sytch of Russia, tied in third on 4:05.00.

Sister of 2001 world championship 4x200m freestyle relay gold medallist Nicola Jackson, Joanne was delighted with her gold medal.

She said: "I took four seconds off my personal best - I didn't expect that and I'm very happy.

"I knew the girls would come back quickly so I had to take it out fast and it really hurt. It's good to come through it and show my sister I can do it."

Cooke, holder of the British record and winner of the women's 800m freestyle silver, said: "I don't like coming second at all but I'll make an exception for Jo."