ATHLETICS: STANFORD’S Hayley McLean has been made Essex young sports personality of the year.

The 19-year-old European Junior 400m hurdles champion beat stiff competition from fellow south Essex teenage stars, gymnast Brinn Bevan and fellow athlete Jessica Judd to win the special award.

The teenager admitted she was beaming with pride at the achievement. But it wasn’t quite an entirely perfect night for McLean who was desperate for her coach Steve Mitchell to win the coach of the year honour.

Mitchell, from Billericay, was just pipped to the award by Michelle Young from Colchester Swimming Club, much to the disappointment of McLean who says she wouldn’t be where she is today without him.

“It was a great way to end a dream season,”said McLean who won gold in July at the European Junior Championships in Italy. “But I really wanted Steve to win an award, too.

“I’ve got a gold medal to show for the past year, but Steve doesn’t really have anything and I wouldn’t have had the year I’ve had without him. “He tells me what to do and I do it. I owe him a lot so it would have been nice for him to have got something for that.”

Since finishing her A-Levels at Palmer’s College in the summer, McLean has gone into full-time training and has one eye on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next summer.

She needs to lower her personal best from 57.26s to 57.00s to gain the B-standard qualification time needed for the Commonwealth Games.

“I have to run the B-standard more than once too so I need to get into some good races early on in the season next year and realistically that’s going to have to be abroad,” she said.

“I’m feeling good though. I’ve got used to full-time training now and can already feel that I’m making improvements.”

l Hayley is appealing for sponsors to help her in her ambitions to reach the top of her sport. If you can help, contact ryan.goad@nqe.com at the Gazette who will pass the details on.

For sport see the THURROCK GAZETTE every Thursday.