Sport throws up some wonderful stories and Sophie Wells' success in winning the Easy Runner athlete of the month for February provides yet another chapter.

It must have been written in the stars that the 16-year-old, from Bromley Heath, would one day win this prize.

After all, her coach Kevin Barry has championed her ability for some time and it was his daughter Sara who was the very first winner of the competition eight years ago. And both athletes are triple-jumpers.

"Sara is an amazing athlete," said Wells. "I have been lucky enough to be in the same competition as Sara when we were at the Midland Indoors and I also saw her break the Welsh indoor record. She is a great jumper and, hopefully, I can be as good as her."

The early signs are certainly encouraging for Wells, who competes for Yate & District AC.

February could yet prove a turning point in her fledging career as she won the gold in the Under-17 women's triple jump at the Midland Counties Indoor Championships and then, the following week, the bronze medal at the Aviva England Indoor Championships at Birmingham's National Indoor Arena.

That proved she can compete with the best in her age group and should give Wells the confidence to do even better in the summer season.

"It has been a very good season for me," added Wells.

"I have been training in the triple jump for a long time now, so it was very annoying that, due to the rules, I wasn't allowed to compete in the Under-15s age group and had to wait until I was old enough for the Under-17s. That was so frustrating."

Wells, who is a student at Downend School, first took up the event in the Sportshall athletics system, which is held from a standing start.

"I have always liked the triple jump since I first did it in Year 6," said Wells.

"It has always been my favourite event."

It is also a highly technical event in which practice and constant repetition are essential ingredients for success. That and the will to succeed, which it seems Wells also has in abundance.

"When I congratulated Sophie on winning the Midlands the first thing she said was that she was disappointed not to get 11 metres," said coach Barry. "She is always striving to do better."

That attribute will stand the teenager in good stead in the years to come and when things don't go well, as they will, then she need look no further than the example of her coach's daughter who has progressed from being an Easy Runner athlete of the month into one of the best triple jumpers in the country.

Hopefully Sophie Wells can write a similar success story of her own in the years to come.