JESS Mayho says her form is moving in the right direction after she recorded a personal best representing England at a national hammer throwing event

The 25-year-old, who is part of a well-known Keighley sporting family, claimed a personal best of 63.79 metres in her fourth throw at the Loughborough International held last Sunday.

She says she was becoming increasingly frustrated at her performance due to a couple of throws which ended up with foot faults. However, despite feeling the hammer slip out of her hands on her fourth throw, this proved to be the winning length and a personal best.

She was selected for the England squad for the Loughborough event, and represented Birmingham-based Birchfield Harriers and Sheffield Hallum University. Also selected for England's hammer team were Callum Brown, of City of Norwich.

The event saw teams from England, Scotland, Wales, Great Britain and Northern Ireland Juniors and Loughborough Students plus a number of elite athletes, taking part as guests, competing against each other.

Hammer was one of 19 track and field disciplines that England competed in including the 100 metres, high jump and pole vault.

Former Parkside School student Mayho said: "I was pleased to get the win and a personal best too.

"I could not have asked for a better result.

"I did a couple of good throws and one was 64 metres, but they were foot faults and my personal best was 63.69 metres.

"In my fourth round throw, I felt the hammer slipping out of my hand. I walked out of the back so it wasn't a foul throw and it ended up being a personal best of 63.79 metres. It was bittersweet. I really enjoyed the experience. I always want more.

"I'm competing again on May 27. I'm not looking to peak now, I'm looking to peak in July and August at the English and British Championships. It is all moving in the right direction.

"It was a really good competition, I got to see some of the new talent coming through. I never get complacent. All of the girls get on really well. I just put my head down to compete.

"At the English Championships in July, hopefully I will make the podium there."

It is a further success for Mayho this season. She made her Great Britain debut in the European Throwing Cup in Samorin, Slovakia, in March. It is an annual continental athletics competition for athletes specialising in the discus, javelin, hammer throwing and the shot put.

She put in a brilliant performance, achieving a personal best of 63.69 metres and came 25th in Europe. She qualified for the Great Britain team following performances in Loughborough and Portugal.

She juggles training twice a day, six days a week with her full-time job at the University of Leeds.

She also has unusual training methods which embrace modern technology.

While she is training in Leeds, she sets up her mobile phone or tablet on a tripod and has FaceTime video calls with her Portugal-based coach. Her coach asks her to move the tripod around to give her pointers on her technique.