HYNDBURN athlete Anna Griffiths is on the right track to become the next Denise Lewis after she topped the national rankings in the under 13 pentathlon.

Anna, who is now 13, set her winning points total of 2379 at the Blackley Open Meeting at Boggart Hole Clough back in April.

Her performance broke the track record which had stood since 1993 as well as sending her to the top of the UK standings.

The five events, which all must be completed in the same day are the 70m hurdles, which she ran in 12.5 seconds, a shot put of 8.74m, high jump clearance at 1.39m, long jump of 4.26m and an 800m run in 2:42.9 secs.

Junior multi-eventers progress via the pentathlon before graduating to the seven event heptathlon as seniors.

Her role model is Olympic gold medallist Lewis who has just been named British Athletics Writers Association athlete of the year, but she has also been inspired by her mum Frances who was an international 400m hurdler.

Thanks to Frances, Anna started training with Hyndburn as an eight-year-old. They were attracted to the club because of it's excellent record in developing young talent. The Griffiths hold family membership which also covers brother Mark, an under 17 discus thrower, and dad Paul. Although loyal to the club, Anna is training with Burnley Athletic Club presently because of the inadequate facilities at Wilson's.

She is looking forward to the completion of the proposed new development at Moorhead High School.

"It will be a lot easier," she said. "At the moment we have to do road runs if we are training at Hyndburn."

Club Chairman Ian Coffey describes Anna as "a natural all rounder." He added: "She plays many sports including hockey and badminton and is always keen and competitive.

"After an event she always makes a point of thanking the officials which is appreciated."

As well as starring in the pentathlon, her name appears at number six on the national rankings in the discus with 25.20m, and she was unlucky to throw her season's best 9.11m in the shot after the cut off date, a distance which would have put her eighth.

Since September she has had a pelvic injury which has restricted her throwing, but she can run and was looking forward to defending her Blackburn and Darwen Schools cross country title last weekend.

Unfortunately she had a high temperature and wasn't able to represent her school, Westholme.

It has been virtually the only setback in a fabulous year which climaxed in her becoming Hyndburn AC's Athlete of the Year.