KENT athlete Julie Dunkley is celebrating after winning her first AAAs shot putt title in Manchester.

The new British number one from Dartford won with her second throw of 16.03m, a season's best, after collecting four silver medals in the past.

Her distance is still some way short of the Olympic qualifying standard of 17.15m but she was still delighted to have finally clinched the title.

She said: "I have been so close in the past. I have been just a couple of centimetres short and it is nice not to be the bridesmaid this time.

“Maybe if I didn't go bobsleighing during last winter I would have been able to make the Olympic qualifying standard but I need over a metre.

“I've got one more competition to get the standard but I'm not sure I'll get it. The throw I won the title with didn't feel good when I let it go so I think there's more to come. You never know”"

But life doesn't stand still for the Shaftesbury Barnet Harrier who went from Manchester to Ireland where she is competing in the European Strongest Woman competition this week.

She added: “I think the experience I've had at the AAAs, and in the other sports I do, has helped me out a lot. I've had a lot of experience competing at a high level and that helped me a lot.”