DEVIZES teenager Jemima Duxberry has been given a double boost after sealing her place in the Great Britain junior squad and landing a £1000 grant to fund her progress.

The 16-year-old, who clinched her place in the squad at last weekend’s national trials in Sheffield, has been identified as one of five potential future Olympians from Wiltshire Council, and will receive the grant to help fund her sporting progress.

“It means I’ll be able to go abroad and compete internationally a lot more and it will help with kit and things like that, instead of your parents always buying new stuff for you when you’re growing,” said Duxberry, who trains at Devizes Budo club.

“(Being called a future Olympian) is a very big compliment and hopefully I’ll be able to fulfil that by going in a few years.”

At Saturday’s trials, Duxberry claimed a bronze medal in the U57kg section but despite being one of the youngest in her age group, the youngster admits that she was aiming for an even higher podium position.

“At the time, I was a bit disappointed because you train so hard and third is never enough,” she said.

“I wanted to make the final and be in the top two but now I’m looking back and thinking that it’s quite a good result.

“I’ll have three more chances to go there and win it and I can try to beat the others at other competitions.

“I spoke to one of the senior GB coaches and said that there were a things that I needed to improve on which was a good thing.”

Devizes’ Tom Reed took silver in the senior section U81kgs section, keeping him in the senior squad.

Duxberry flies out to compete in this weekend’s Belgian Ladies Open in Arlon tomorrow, which will be her first tournament with the Great Britain junior squad, before a three-day training camp in Spa, in the east of the country.

Melksham pole vaulter Sophie Upton was one of four other Wiltshire athletes to receive a council grant .

The 20 year-old won a senior bronze medal at last July’s national championships and is studying criminology at Loughborough University.

“Pole vault is quite expensive and it’s going to help a lot with buying new kit, travelling and things like that,” said Upton, who is aiming to qualify for the European U23 Championships in the Czech Republic this year.

“It should go a long way and it’s nice to have that sort of confidence put in you from them (Wiltshire Council).”