13 September 2007

Two of the UK’s most outstanding 14-year-old athletes, Katarina Thompson (Liverpool Harriers) and Matti Mortimore (Ipswich Harriers), have been named as winners of awards from the Calum Johnston Scholarship Fund.

The fund was initiated by Steve Grainger, the Chief Executive of the Youth Sport Trust, after his cousin Calum died at the age of 14 in November 2005 following a short illness. Calum was an energetic teenager with a zest for life – and a love for sport, especially athletics, canoe slalom and rugby union.

This year’s awards have gone to two rugby players and one canoe slalomist in addition to the athletes.

Mortimore, coached by former international thrower Nigel Bevan, has set no fewer than five UK Under 15 Boys’ javelin records this summer and currently tops the Power of 10 rankings having thrown the 600g javelin 63.68 metres, nearly five-and-a-half metres further than any other UK thrower. And at Bedford on Saturday 8 September, he threw the 700g javelin 61.81m, a UK Under 15 Boys’ record by more than three metres.

Thompson has had a fabulous summer, winning the England Athletics pentathlon title, the English Schools’ high jump gold medal and the Female Athlete of the Match Award at the UKA Young Athletes’ League Final. She currently tops the Power of 10 Under 15 Girls’ rankings in the high jump, long jump and pentathlon – and her high jump best of 1.80m places her above all of the country’s current Under 17s.

Andy Paul, Head of Athletics Development at UK Athletics, said: “Katarina and Matti have every reason to be proud of what they have achieved this summer. We are delighted their achievements have been recognised in memory of such an inspirational young character as Calum.”