ST HELENS middle distance runner Chelsea Jarvis insists last year’s brush with international stardom has left her hungrier for more as she turns her attentions to the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio.

The 18-year-old made significant strides forward last season by finishing third in the 800m at the England Athletics Under-20 Championships in June before coming fifth at the World Youth Championships in the Ukraine a month later.

The latter was in a Team GB vest as she received international recognition for the first time, and the experience clearly left its mark on the Carmel College pupil.

And now that she has achieved one dream of competing at junior level, her next step is to make the senior Team GB squad for 2016 – eyeing up this summer’s World Junior Championships in Oregon as perfect preparation.

“Last year was my big breakthrough year,” she said.

“It was surreal to represent Team GB.

“I was at home and the delivery man came with a big bag and I was so excited, it is something you obviously dream of.

“The Commonwealth Games are a bit too soon for me this year, but I will try and push for Rio in 2016.

“There are also the World Championships in London in 2017 and later this year is the World Juniors in Oregon so I am going to try and qualify for that.”

Such is Jarvis’ potential that she has been selected as an SSE Next Generation athlete, which offers guidance and workshops to some of the country’s brightest sporting talents.

One ambassador for the programme is six-time Olympic gold medalist Sir Chris Hoy and Jarvis admits that she is more inspired than ever after meeting the Scotsman at Loughborough University.

“It was surreal to have dinner with Chris Hoy but it was great and he was really down to earth. It was great to see that he was just one of us,” she added.

“It meant a lot when I found out I was on the SSE Next Generation scheme because you can see the athletes that it has helped in the past.

"They are really good and big names so it’s nice to be recognised and get some support towards my training.”

SSE are partnering with SportsAid to support the sporting stars of the future as part of their commitment to Glasgow 2014 and beyond with their SSE Next Generation ambassador programme.

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