Laura McDonald, from Barford, broke the Norfolk county U15 girls' javelin record on Sunday while competing for City of Norwich AC in the third leg of the Premier Division's National Young Athletes' League at the Lee Valley stadium in London.

Laura McDonald, from Barford, broke the Norfolk county U15 girls' javelin record on Sunday while competing for City of Norwich AC in the third leg of the Premier Division's National Young Athletes' League at the Lee Valley stadium in London.

Her throw of 36.35m puts her ahead of Michaela Nasimento's record of 36.28, set at Peterborough in April 1988.

The record throw by the Wymondham High School pupil comes hot on the heels of her bronze medal at the South of England championships a week earlier and puts her up to number 3 in the UK rankings for her age group.

Laura said: “With the help of my trainer, Tim Newenham, who himself is an Olympian and former team GB javelin coach, my ambition this year is to qualify and medal at the English Schools championships at Gateshead in July.”

A spokeperson for CoNAC added: “We are extremely fortunate in having Tim, probably the best javelin coach in the UK, help our athletes at Norwich. He has generated real interest in javelin within the club, with a number of throwers already gaining ESAA qualifying distances this year.”

Newenham also helped train the former county record holder, Michaela Nasimento, in both javelin and shot, her county shot record still stands from the same 1988 event at Peterborough where she also got the javelin record.

Tim is now working with Laura on an intense period of preparation leading up to the qualifiers and ultimately the national ESAA final in Gateshead. She currently trains five days a week in different athletic disciplines, and this is mixed with competitions.

Laura said: “I am only in my first year of U15s, I finished last year as UK No 1 in the U13 age group and knew I would have to work hard this year, especially since the weight of the javelin increases in my new age group as well.”

Following a meeting with UK javelin record holder and Beijing Olympics qualifier, Goldie Sayers, at the South Norfolk Sports achievers awards earlier this year, Laura recently received an unexpected gift the day before her first competition of the season - one of Goldie's own carbon-fibre competition javelins.

Laura commented after her first throw with the new implement: “Wow, I really love this javelin, thanks Goldie!”