A young Bradford runner is fast becoming a rising star on the local athletics circuit.

Eight-year-old Rhea Southcott is recording an extraordinary series of results throughout 2011 that are demonstrating her potential.

Baildon-based Rhea regularly competes against 11-year-olds, including boys, and beats them and after recording five wins from 19 competitions - 75 metres and 600m races and the long jump - in varying athletics meets in 2010, she has won a staggering 12 of the 13 events she has attended so far this year, including winning her first attempt in a shot putt contest.

While competing in Leeds, Sheffield, Cleckheaton and Wakefield this year, she has improved on her personal bests in the long jump, 600m and 60m indoor disciplines.

The Sandal Primary School pupil trains once a week with a professional coach at Horsfall Stadium and another day every week at a running track.

She is also a member of Bingley Harriers Athletic Club, and has twice won their Young Athlete of the Month award.

Her dad Jonathan said: “At Manchester, Rhea set personal bests at 75m (11.65sec) and 150m (23.38sec), where she missed out on a bronze by 0.02sec in both cases in coming fourth out of 30.

“But this was against the best athletes in the North of England, rather than the best from Wakefield or Cleckheaton.

“However, she won the long jump with a leap of 3.58m. Rhea will be 17 by the 2020 Olympics but it is premature to talk in those terms as it is such a long way away.”