GRIMSBY Harriers long jumper Jessica Houlton is determined to make this year her best ever after a fine season-opening performance in Sheffield.

Houlton, 19, leapt to 5m 44cm to take second place at the Northern Indoor Championships at the English Institute of Sport.

Although she has jumped further in the past, it represents her best ever start to a season.

Given that she is still deep into winter training – which involves a lot of core work and strength building – it all bodes well for a successful 2012.

She said: "It was my best jump I have had at the start of a season. I did not expect it at all.

"I have been doing a lot of physical conditioning, including running and hill work, as well as working my abs and glutes in circuit sessions.

"There's still three months of doing this kind of hard work left.

"I was pleased with the result at Sheffield as the track surface is a lot harder than an outdoor track.

"It is not as bouncy and it can be hard to adjust at first.

"That said, I love it at the English Institute of Sport, it is a great facility."

Houlton, formerly of New Waltham, is now into her second year at Loughborough University where she is studying sports science and management.

Although blending hard training and academic work was tricky at first, the teenager believes she has now found a good balance.

"It was quite difficult to adapt in my first year," she said.

"But this year I have been able to train harder and get my university work done.

"I train five or six times a week and find myself a bit fatigued sometimes, but I have got a good balance now."

After her fine start to the year, Houlton feels good about the future.

She said: "My overall personal best (outdoors) is 5.65m. I would like to get up to that mark indoors this year, and push on towards 6m outdoors.

"I feel it is there inside me, it's just getting it out."

After previously competing in both the long jump and high jump, Houlton has now decided to focus solely on the long jump.

"It is more suited to my strengths," she said.

"I was getting to the stage where I was not going to progress any further with the high jump.

"I am feeling very strong at the moment and we have a great group of girls at Loughborough training hard and pushing each other on."

Meanwhile, Cleethorpes AC sprinter Rachel Bell made it to the final of the Under-17 women's 60 metres at the Northern Indoor Championships.

The 15-year-old, who has just moved up to the Under-17 age group, finished fourth in 8.22 seconds.

Bell, who enjoyed an encouraging 2011 season, was first in her heat and second in her semi-final. Her best time over the three races was 8.11.