BRITAIN’S first gold medallist of the Beijing Olympics was first spotted as a 12-year-old competing in East Lancashire.

Nicole Cooke, now 25, who took gold in the women’s road race on Sunday, won the under-13 girls’ Junior National Hill Climbing Championship hosted by the English Schools Cycling Association on Saturday, October 14, 1995.

She won the the race, up Star Delph Hill in Rishton, in 2min 49.9 seconds.

The race was held by Blackburn and District Cylist Touring Club (CTC) and Norden High School, which was used as a base on the day.

Ken Hartley, president of Blakckburn and District CTC, remembers the race clearly.

He said: “Her mum had brought her up from South Glamorgan and she did very well winning her race, though a time-keeper made a mistake.

“Little Cookey came dashing up to me telling me they’d got the times wrong and that girls she was used to beating had better times than her.

"We looked into it and there had been a mistake and she was moved up from fifth place to first.

“She was as keen as mustard then as she is now.

“She always had the potential to get a gold Olympic medal because she is so dedicated.”

Mr Hartley, who still has the results sheet from 1995, has followed Nicole’s progress ever since and was there to see her win gold in the women’s road race in the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester.

East Lancashire-based Brian Cookson, president of British Cycling, said Nicole’s talent had shone through, even from an early age.

Mr Cookson, who is also Pendle director of regeneration, said: “A lot of people spotted her potential, even at that race in Rishton.

“She absolutely deserved the medal in Beijing. She played everything right in the race.”