SCHOOLGIRL Becky Martin has won a bronze medal in the senior National Indoor Archery Championships at Lilleshall – at the age of 14.

The Sandon Business & Entrerprise College pupil, who only turned 14 last month, beat Olympic bronze medallist Alison Williamson en route to finishing third.

She was eventually defeated by another Olympian, Charlotte Burgess, but then overcame British international Amy Oliver in a third/fourth place play-off.

Becky, from Meir, who finished in the top 10 in last year's championships, impressed onlookers with her maturity against more senior and experienced opposition.

"What got us was how composed she was," said proud mum Tracey. "This has to rank as one of her biggest achievements so far."

Becky is now training for the West Midlands Senior Championships in a fortnight before she defends her Staffordshire Senior Championship title.

She will then head into the outdoor season as she continues her amazing rise ahead of a possible shot at the 2012 London Olympics.

Becky, who is nominated for the junior individual category of April's The Sentinel/City of Stoke-on-Trent Sports Personality of the Year awards, already holds the indoor and outdoor under-18 English titles.

She rose to number one in the under-18 rankings when still only 13 – and after only taking up the sport less than two years previously.

George McLeary, her first coach at the Trent Valley Archers club, is certain she will make the Olympics one day, whether in 2012 or 2016.

"It could be difficult in 2012 because the squad is already chosen and being fast-tracked," he said, "and she is obviously still young.

"But if there was to be an injury and someone drop out, you never know."

He recalls a crucial decision at the outset of her archery career which hit the bullseye and was to set her on the path towards future stardom.

"When we first met her she was shooting right-handed and she was pretty hopeless in all truth," he says. "But we discovered there was a slight problem with her 'shooting' eye that side, so she couldn't focus properly. Once we changed her to shooting left-handed, she hasn't looked back.

"When we first saw her shooting that way we knew we'd got an Olympic archer on our hands.

"I go through thousands of youngsters every year up and down the country and she is definitely a special talent.

"She's settled down into being a lovely person, one who is fabulous to talk to because she listens and wants to learn.

"She has worked hard for her success and has also benefited from having a lot of great support from her family."