Olympic rings of confidence

Jessica Anderson

A high-flying Oldham sports star has been rewarded with a major regional award — and could scoop an £8,500 national prize.

Cyclist Jessica Anderson has been awarded £1,500 for her outstanding sporting ability in the OCS Young Sports Person Awards.

Jessica (15), who took up cycling aged six, beat stiff competition to win the North-West award.

She started by taking part in cycle-cross, progressing to road and track and now practises in the Manchester Velodrome, Britain’s first indoor Olympic cycling track.

She claimed her first time-trial record when she was only eight and is now a member of the National Olympic talent team.

Her ambition is to get on to the Olympic development programme this year, then progress to the academy and Great Britain squad to compete in the Olympics.

She will collect her award in London on November 25 at the Oval cricket ground, when the overall winner will be chosen to receive a further £8,500-worth of support over three years.

Chris Cracknell, chief executive of the sponsors OCS, a business support company, said: “Our winners have gone on to achieve great things for our country and we will continue to support our sporting future as we race towards 2012.”