Hereford canoeist Jenny Spencer has become the first female British junior to win a medal in the World Sprint Championships.

Spencer, 18, clinched bronze in the 1,000-metre section at the prestigious competition held in Brazil.

The Hereford Kayak Club paddler had already achieved European Championship glory in the marathon discipline.

She was delighted with her success in a newly designed boat bought with money from the Ready, Steady, Win bursary.

In fact, Spencer was scheduled to have raced at the World Marathon Championships but, with the dates of both competitions clashing, she opted to compete in the Olympic discipline. She also secured an eighth-place finish in the 500-metre final.

Her father and coach, Tony Spencer, said: "Jenny has done extraordinarily well in her final year as a junior.

"She has succeeded in two very different disciplines of canoeing and become one of the most successful junior paddlers that Britain has had for many years."

Spencer is soon to start at the Royal Holloway University of London, and is looking forward to training with the Great Britain ladies' Olympic team.