Jess Stretton shortlisted for Young Sports Personality of the Year

The 16-year-old student at Longdean School won individual gold in the Q1 archery at this summer’s Rio Paralympic Games.

She was the youngest member of the Team GB archery squad.

Jess was welcomed back to school in September with a special assembly in her honour, after the summer trip to Rio meant she had a belated start to starting Sixth Form.

But Jess is no stranger to making up lost ground - she only began taking archery seriously last year before unknowingly breaking the world record at a competition in Dubai.

And just a few weeks later she was personally congratulated by the town’s senior figures at a special event which also honoured fellow Hemelite Max Whotlock who won two Olympic gold medals of his own.