Sussex junior Sophie Hales broke her course record in the Steyning Easter Monday Race Walks.

The Steyning club youngster clocked 14min.20sec over the three-lap 3km route to take the intermediate title.

Moving swiftly away from her rivals, Hales was in a class of her own as she almost lapped some younger walkers.

Sophie smashed her three-year-old best time by nearly a minute. It also improved Sarah Brown's 11-year-old senior record. If the time had been recorded in a track race it would be the seventh fastest ever by a Sussex female.

Sussex juniors, racing at under-15s last year, compete in the first of the Southern Women's League matches on Saturday.

On the track, leading performers like Carley Wenham (Crawley) and Chichester-based Charlotte Browning (Aldershot) were up to senior standard last season.

Wenham was top of the Sussex ranking lists for 100m and 200m and Browning second in the 800m and 1,500m.

Field athletes may find the transition harder.

Kate Giddings (Horsham), a top high jumper in Sussex last year, may not find the step up daunting but clubmate Hannah James has to cope with a heavier implement and physically more mature competitors in the shot putt.

New rules state under-17s athletes must be of a certain standard but the League retains the 80m and 300m hurdle events for the age group.