HOLLY Hodgskinson claimed her first major individual title by winning the Great South Run junior title on Saturday.

A sprint finish in the final 20 metres from the Wycombe Phoenix athlete secured the title in nine-11 girls’ race in Portsmouth, completing the 2.5km course in 9m42s - one second ahead of Southampton AC's Elizabeth Adamson.

Dad Craig said: "As a club they've won golds at the Southern Relays, and she finished third in the Chiltern League last year, but this is the first major individual one that she's won.

"She and the girl from Southampton were neck and neck pretty much the whole way. The course ends on a tight bend and she stuck with the girl until the bend, then made a dash for it. She was absolutely delighted."

Victory at the Great South Run came a week after Hodgskinson had claimed the South of England Cross Country relay title at Wormwood Scrubs along with Wycombe Pheonix team mates Kirsten Stilwell and Olivia Lowrie.

Earlier in the season the trio also won the Road Relays event to ensure more silverware came Phoenix's way.

Craig said: "She's come on leaps and bounds, and so has the club in general. The club has won two major championships this season and Holly, Kirsten and Olivia have all been doing really well.

"She's had a good track season and set PBs throughout the season. She's mainly been running 800m and 1,500m but she also loves cross country - I think she's looking forward to a good cross country season."