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ECCLESTON’S Chelsea Jarvis will be proudly wearing her Great Britain vest in the 800 metres heats of the World Youth Games in Ukraine this evening. (Thursday).

The 17-year-old Carmel College A level student – ranked in the top eight in the world’s under 18s – has high hopes of making Sunday’s final after some excellent early season form.

She flew out of Gatwick with the team on Monday with the only downside of her selection being her missing out on running in the English Schools Championships at the weekend.

She said: “I have always loved running for Merseyside in the English Schools because every year I have had a medal.

“It is strange having to sit and watch it on the television – but it is so exciting to be going to the Worlds so that is for the greater good.”

Chelsea, who started running at St Helens-Sutton as a nine-year-old, now trains under the tutelage of Dave Turnbull at Stockport Harriers.

But she is proud of the sporting pedigree of St Helens – and regularly gets inspiration from the town’s Barcelona 1,500m Olympian Ann Griffiths.

Chelsea said: “St Helens has had a lot of sporting legends and role models over the years and it is a great town to grow up in.

“I always speak with Ann Griffiths and she always sends me Tweets and stuff – so that is always really inspiring.

“Since the London Olympics you can see the effect on people.

“You can see it at the club – loads of kids and adults have been training. Even around the streets of St Helens you see more people running.”