Twinelle Hopeson has set her sights on this summer’s European U23 Championships after receiving a £1,000 cash windfall as part of the Lloyds TSB Local Heroes initiative.

For the fourth year running, the 19-year-old 200m specialist from Croydon was handpicked as part of 262 up-and-coming athletes across England and Wales to receive funding, plus expert tuition from Olympic triple jump champion Jonathan Edwards.

Top of the 2011 agenda for the former Archbishop Tenison’s Church of England High School pupil is the trip to Czech Republic for the European showdown in her first year in the U23 age category.

“I was on the Local Heroes scheme when it first started four years ago and it’s been getting better every year so it is great to be back on it,” she said.

“My main target for this season will be the European Junior U23 Championships in Ostrava.

“I have just moved up from junior level this year so I am a youngster.

"It will be a big step up for me but hopefully I will be able to qualify for them because that would be a great experience.

“My times from last year would have been good enough to get there but I need to be in the top two or three.

"It is so competitive that even if I went for the relay I would be pleased with that.

“I would even do the 400m relay there, I have done a few in the past year and although it is not really my event I would happily do it.”

Hopeson’s cash boost was a rare high point in what has been a tough 2011 season to date with injury hampering her indoor campaign, which ended with a disappointing fourth over 60m at the BUCS Championships.

But having upped sticks to train at Loughborough University, Hopeson insists her long-term plan is still bang on course.

"I have now changed my training to six days a week from four,” she said.

"It is a tough change for me but I am getting used to having one day of a rest a week.

"It really takes some adjustment but I have got a really good training group up in Loughborough “My training is going really well, so I am hopeful I can get some good personal bests.”

* Lloyds TSB Local Heroes, in partnership with SportsAid, provides support and funding to 344 emerging athletes all the way to London 2012 and beyond. Follow the future stars of TeamGB and ParalympicsGB at lloydstsb.com/localheroes.