Chorleywood youngster Esme O’Connell is the latest athlete from Dacorum & Tring Athletics club to taste success for Great Britain after winning gold to become world junior long jump champion.

This season has seen the Alfriston School for Girls student go from strength to strength, taking record after record in the para athletics categories in both 100m and the long jump.

The 15-year-old is currently ranked the UK number 1 for 100m in all age groups and is also first in her age group in the long jump and third in all age categories.

This stellar season saw the 15-year-old selected to represent Team GB and travel to Nottwil in Switzerland for the inaugural World Para Athletics Championships to compete in the long jump in the T20 category.

In the Under-18 competition, O’Connell landed a jump of 4.31m which took the lead in the opening round and and her hold on the competition was never relinquished.

The teenager backed her initial effort up with consistent 4m jumps despite some fierce competition from the Turkish silver medalist.

O’Connell suffered from severe epilepsy as a young child which left her with very challenging learning difficulties.

The 15-year-old no longer suffers from epilepsy but still struggles with day-to-day tasks that others take for granted. She developed a passion for athletics after winning a sports day race at school.

Her mother, Vanessa, said: “Esme has always been speedy but when she left her friends standing at a school race we knew we had found something that she could excel in.”

O’Connell’s success shows no sign of slowing up and she followed up her performance for Great Britain with a call-up for the athletics squad for the 2017 School Games National Finals.

The event takes place between Thursday, August 31 and Sunday, September 3 at Loughborough University and will see O’Connell compete alongside some 1,600 athletes.

She is eagerly anticipating the chance to follow in the footsteps of previous competitors, including Paralympic champions Hannah Cockcroft, Ellie Simmonds and Jonnie Peacock, as well as Olympic gold medalist Adam Peaty.

“Watching athletes like Eleanor Bronne train really helps and inspires me to improve my own skills so I can reach the same level one day,” O’Connell said.

“The School Games National Finals provide a great opportunity for talented young athletes like Esme,” added Ali Oliver, Youth Sport Trust officer.

“Competitors get a real taste of what it’s like to be part of a world-class sporting event at amazing sporting venues.”