UPCOMING badminton ace Laura Birkinshaw has posted a notable York first.

The 12-year-old Easingwold School pupil captured the Yorkshire Schools' closed singles under-13s' badminton championship - becoming the first York lass to win the event since its inception in 1980.

Before the season started determined Laura set herself a double target of reaching premier playing status - she attained that last month - and taking the closed crown.

Now she has netted both objectives as she continues her ascent of the county's rankings.

It was an impressive run to the title from the girl, who stars for the York Railway Institute Club.

She rampaged through her group games by an emphatic aggregate 21-0 margin. Then, in the semi-finals she ousted Leeds rival Hayley Shipley 21-10 to earn a place in the final against Huddersfield's Samantha Jessop.

Laura did not need to go to the full three sets as she impressively toppled Jessop 11-8 11-4 to become the first girl from York to lift the top title.

For good measure Laura was also a beaten semi-finalist in the girls' doubles, partnered by Danielle Whittaker of Leeds, and also in the mixed semi-finals alongside Harrogate's Ian Mercer.

Updated: 11:11 Saturday, February 23, 2002