KENT'S Candy Hawkins put three years of injury problems behind her by picking up two medals at the European Athletics Championships for the Deaf in Estonia.

The 32-year-old Ashford AC member took gold over 1500m and silver over 800m in Tallinn to put her career back on track after undergoing ankle and Achilles’ tendon surgery.

Hawkins, who still holds the world mile record for deaf athletes, clocked 4 minutes 39.13 seconds in the 1500m, and 2.16.69 in the 800m which was won in a European junior record time of 2.16.25 by her 14-year-old GB team mate Lauren Peffers.

Hawkins, who was world champion over both distances in 1997, also claimed two medals at the 1995 European Championships, taking gold over 800m and silver in the 400m in Switzerland.

Her target is to make the 2005 World Deaf Games in Melbourne, and she will continue her comeback in an international meeting for the deaf in Belgium this October.

For the trip to Estonia, where she spent two weeks, Hawkins received sponsorship from Stena Line, Ashford AC, the Kent County Athletics Association, Coty UK and Rotary Clubs (Ashford).