WARRINGTON Athletics Club runner Carys McAulay has been praised highly by her coach after winning gold in the English Schools’ Championships.

Sixteen-year-old McAulay, who is a former pupil of Bridgewater High School, won the intermediate girls’ 800m in Birmingham on Saturday.

Her club coach Phil Hicken feels she can rise to the top in the coming years.

“I believe Carys has great potential and with continued hard work and commitment she has the capability to perform and develop into a top class athlete over the next few years,” said Hicken.

This year, McAulay has won the North of England Indoor Championships 800m title and was the silver medallist in that event at the National Indoor Championships.

McAulay, who is Scottish by birth, is currently ranked as the top 400m under 17s girl in the UK with her time of 56.04secs, and she is ranked as the second fastest Scot in the under 20s age group.