SOPHIE Hitchon has won the women’s hammer competition at the McCain UK Challenge Final in Cardiff.

Competing against seniors, the 18-year-old Blackburn Harrier (pictured right) cleared 60 metres four times in her six throws, but was behind Laura Douglas’ second effort of 61.57m until the fourth round when she produced 62.07m.

The McCain UK Challenge is a nationwide, season-long competition with qualifying events throughout the summer.

The best four performances by each athlete are taken into account before the top eight in each event were invited to the final.

It is the biggest prize fund on offer for a domestic series with a pot of £30,000 at stake.

Five more locals made it to the finals with Pendle’s Eleanor Markendale contesting two events, the 100m hurdles and the long jump. Her better position was fifth in the long jump with 5.68m, while she was seventh in the hurdles in 15.59 seconds.

Eloise Manger of Chorley AC took sixth in the javelin with 63.86m and Leigh Lennon was ninth in the 800m in 2:15.3.

Lennon’s Ribble Valley club mate Robbie Schofield was fifth in the men’s 800m in 1:51.22 and Burnley AC was represented by Danny Eckersley, whose 55.01 for the 400m hurdles was good for seventh.