KATHARINE Merry hopes Bolton's Amy Spencer can rewrite Britain's sprint records but is praying she gives the 400 metres a miss for a few more years yet.

Merry, once the great young hope of women's sprinting before emerging as a one-lap force, was among the Cardiff crowd as 16-year-old Spencer claimed her first senior title at the Norwich Union Trials and AAA Championships yesterday.

The Bolton School student proved she has as few peers in the senior ranks as she has in the juniors with victory in the 200m to become the youngest winner of an indoor title since 15-year-old Linsey Macdonald won the same event 22 years ago.

Merry, who lost her British Under-17 100m record to Spencer last year, said: "There's still a void in British sprinting - we've been waiting for the next Kathy Cook for 20 years.

"I'd love to see it filled and I'd love to see Amy take every record I've ever held. I just hope she doesn't step up to the 400m until I've retired."

Spencer, studying four AS levels at Bolton School having gained 10 grade A's in her GCSEs a year early, and Merry could find themselves in the same England team for the Commonwealth Games in Manchester this summer.

"They're in my home city so it would be good to get involved, but I am not thinking about the Commonwealths yet," added Spencer. "My education is my number one priority."

Spencer clocked 23.74 seconds to win by 0.23secs from Sarah Reilly, a 200m semi-finalist for Ireland at last year's World Championships in Edmonton, with Wakefield's Emily Freeman third in 24.13.

The 5ft 11in Spencer, coached by her father Graham, a former rugby flanker with Wigan, is undecided about trying to chase a qualifying time for next month's European Indoor Championships in Vienna.

"I haven't discussed it with my dad yet," said Spencer, whose best time of 23.44 is just 0.04secs off the qualifying mark.

"It would be an amazing experience to go to the European indoors but I do not want to extend my indoor season too much."