IT’S not often an athlete can say that injuries have been the making of their career.

But had it not been for persistent foot problems, Serena Vincent would never have emerged as one of Britain’s hottest young shot put prospects.

With a build more suited to sprinting than throws, Serena started out as a runner but was dogged by a catalogue of problems, from a torn Achilles to a stress fracture of the heel.

While convalescing, she tried her hand at throwing and, against the odds, this svelte, athletic 14-year-old has powered to every age-group title going.

This year alone The Gregg School pupil is ISA (Independent Schools' Association) regional champion for shot and javelin and holds the all-time under-15 ISA record in the shot.

Serena also broke the all-time Alder Valley League under-15 shot put record previously held by emerging GB heptathlete Morgan Lake.

She is the all-time under-15 Hampshire shot put record holder and has taken the Hampshire County, UK National Indoor and South of England Indoor shot crowns.

Her personal best put of 13.66, set in Oxford at the end of May, puts her top of the UK rankings.

She fell slightly below that with 12.77 at Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre on Saturday, but it was plenty good enough to add yet another title to her dazzling collection as Hampshire Schools’ junior girls’ champion.

Serena, who hails from Bursledon, competes for City of Portsmouth AC and is coached by Bronwin Carter.

Proud dad Andrew said: “It was only while Serena was convalescing from injury that we realised she was an outstanding thrower.

“She ranks number four in the UK in the javelin and is hoping to get a clean sweep of every national title in the shot.

“Serena is not built like a shot putter, but she hopes to show that speed, power and athleticism can triumph over sheer bulk.”

*LYNDON Olowe suffered disappointment in last month’s Hampshire AA Track & Field Championships when he pulled up injured in the 400 metres final.

But the St George School pupil made ample amends on Saturday, returning to Portsmouth’s Mountbatten Centre to win two Hampshire Schools’ golds in the space of 20 minutes.

First the Woolston-based sprinter got the better of Southampton AC clubmate Reiss Jarvis (Eastleigh & Winchester) to take the intermediate boys’ 400 metres crown in 50.7 seconds.

Then, after a swift breather, he won the 100m by the thickness of a vest from South East Hants’ Oliver Nicholson, who clocked an identical time of 11.6.

Coach Lance Vinter said: “Lyndon pulled up down the back straight at the Hampshire Championships. At first we thought he’d ripped his hamstring, but it turned out to be a trapped nerve and he got cramp in it as well.”

In all, Lyndon raced four times on Saturday and part of the credit for his rapid recovery goes to Southampton Solent University.

“Every Wednesday he goes in to Solent for weight training, nutritional advice, etc,” said his coach.

Eastleigh & Winchester’s Ellie Hodgson was the undisputed queen of the intermediate girls’ 100m, blasting to a 12.2-second victory.

Isabel Richardson of Southampton won the junior girls’ 1500m with a huge personal best of 4.52.3 and it was good to see Georgia O’Dell (Southampton) competing again after serious injury and finishing third in the intermediate girls' long jump (4.82).

*ONE Eastleigh & Winchester athlete replaced another on the triple jump championship best list at the Hampshire Schools’ AA Track & Field Championships.

Josh Goble set a new mark of 13.99 metres, eclipsing the previous senior boys’ best set by Ian Rowe in 1997.

For Peter Symonds College student Josh it was a huge personal best, improving on the 13.62 he jumped last year.

The leap was comfortably inside the qualifying standard of 13.90 for the English Schools’ Championships and Goble will have fingers tightly crossed for selection for Gateshead next month (July 8/9).

He has already caught the eye of the county selectors, picking up the Mary Batson Trophy for the best jumps performance at the Mountbatten Centre on Saturday.

Josh, a member of Winchester & District AC, also won the long jump, stretching out to 6.47 metres.

Amaya Scott, another Eastleigh & Winchester athlete, edged a close intermediate girls’ high jump battle, beating Aldershot’s Hannah Haugvik on countback. Both girls cleared 1.62.

Mountbatten schoolgirl Amaya, a member of Southampton AC, sits second in the national under-17 rankings with 1.75.