Hayling Islander Lilly, 7, is a UK motocross champion

A Hayling Island girl has been crowned a national sporting champion - aged just seven!
Lilly Senior, 7, with her UK Girls Motocross trophyLilly Senior, 7, with her UK Girls Motocross trophy
Lilly Senior, 7, with her UK Girls Motocross trophy

Lilly Senior travelled to Alvington in Gloucestershire, near the Welsh border, to compete in the UK Girls National Motocross Championships.

Having finished seventh a year earlier, in her first year in the tournament, Lilly took part in five races across two days.

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The Mengham Junior School pupil produced a clean sweep of wins - including lapping all her rivals in the first race - to be crowned national champion in her 6-8 age group.

Lilly, who still has two more years of competing in her age category, is following in the footsteps of her dad Ashley who is a motocross enthusiast.

Younger brother Austin, just 3, is also showing huge interest in the sport.

Lilly has been riding petrol-operated motocross bikes since she was three years old, and could ride a bike without stabilisers when she was just two.

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Due to Covid, she hasn’t had many competitions this year but was third out of 23 riders in an event in Kent where she was up against boys as well as girls.

Training wise, Lilly travels to Petersfield, Winchester and the Brighton area to ride on tracks.

She also had nine days training in Netherlands and Belgium back in the summer, but due to the pandemic there were no competitions to enter.

‘We were blown away by her success in the UK nationals,’ said Ashley. ‘Lilly was over the moon with winning.’