Grace Davies-Redmond overcame a series of setbacks to round off her superb season with a gold medal at the English Schools' Combined Event Championships in Birmingham.
The Team Bath athlete, who was representing Wiltshire, triumphed in the inter girls' heptathlon event after twice appearing to throw away the title.
Success in the two-day event – the most searching examination of an athlete's all-round ability – is normally all about consistency and avoiding any bad performances.
But on a rollercoaster weekend, the daughter of Olympic swimmer Sharron Davies and runner Derek Redmond decided to do it the hard way.
"I started off okay with the 100m hurdles and was seventh overall but then in the high jump I just couldn't clear my opening height of 1.46m and only did it on my third attempt," said Davies-Redmond.
"When the bar was raised I whacked it with my hand and thought I might have broken a finger so had to be taken off to the medical people, but it was okay.
"But a poor high jump dropped me down to 17th overall. I had an average shot which lifted me to ninth and then ended the first day with my best event, the 200m, clocking 25.11secs so ended up in fourth."
If Davies-Redmond was hoping for a quieter second day she was sadly mistaken as she opened with a disastrous long jump, clearing only 4.37m – around a metre down on her expectations.
"I just couldn't get my run-up right and had two no jumps and one run through which gave me the 4.37m, which was not very good and put me right down the field again," added Davies-Redmond.
"It was all becoming so draining mentally and physically so I had a chat with my mum and she said I could take the competition two ways – either say it is rubbish and go home or use treat the last two events [the javelin and 800m] as individual events in their own right and try and get something positive out of them.
"That is what I did and it worked as I threw a personal best of 35.96m for the javelin and then ran 2mins 24.96secs – another PB – for the 800m."
The finishing flourish earned Davies-Redmond a total of 4,475 points and the gold medal.
"I just cannot understand how I won that," said Davies-Redmond.
"In fact I had no idea I had won until it was announced officially. I think if I had won another silver I wold have cried!"
The Chronicle's athletics coverage is sponsored by Running Bath, Bath's specialist running shop. Catering for runners of all abilities, from complete beginners to experienced athletes, it offers a wide range of running footwear, apparel and accessories. Visit Running Bath at 18 High Street, Bath, call 01225 462555 or log on to www.runningbath.co.uk.
