A TALENTED dancer who won her first gold in a national competition said she wants to make her late mum proud.

Eleri Buck, aged 14, won the gold medal with her partner Amy Hewett for junior pairs at the Superdance Welsh Finals 2008 with the Unison dancers of Hubberston Youth Club.

Eleri, of Bobtail Lodge, Poppy Drive, Neyland, lost her mum Nina in January.

Before the performances, the teenager sprayed all the dancers with her mum's perfume for luck.

She said: "I want to make my mum proud, she definitely spurs me on to want to do well."

Eleri has also been playing for Sir Thomas Picton school netball team and Haverfordwest Ladies Team, both of which have just won competitions. She also represented the west Wales netball team.

Her dad Jim, a teacher at Ysgol Dewi Sant, St Davids, said: "I'm really proud of her and I know her mum would have been too.

"Its a shame she's not around to see her continue to be successful as she was always running all the girls around and loved supporting them in their sports.

"Her three sisters are doing really well, but Eleri can compete outside of the county."

Choreographer Sean Griffiths said: "We are very proud of Eleri and Amy and all the dancers who work so hard every week."