Track and field athlete Rachel Whittle played a starring role for the Lanarkshire team at the International Children’s Games held in Athens last week.

14-year-old Rachel, daughter of 1988 Olympic 400m runner Brian, collected three medals at the ‘Kids’ Olympics’ including a gold in the 4x100m relay, alongside Scottish team-mates Emma Brown, Arlene Barr and Mhairi Hendry.

She also grabbed high-jump bronze with a jump of 1.59m and 100m silver with a time of 12.46s.

Brown, 15, was competing at her third Children’s Games and just missed out on 100m bronze with a time of 12.83s.

The Games will be coming to Lanarkshire in 2011 and this was a great way for Scottish athletes to lay down the marker for the future generations who will find themselves competing on home soil.

“I can’t wait for the Games to come to Lanarkshire in 2011 and I will be there to cheer on all the athletes,” said Emma.