Last updated at 21:51, Thursday, 19 July 2012

Brigham woman Jan Lishman will be flying the flag for West Cumbria at the Olympic Games.

Mrs Lishman, 60, of High Brigham, has been chosen as a clerk for the track and field events at London’s Olympic stadium.

She will officiate at events such as the steeplechase, hammer, shot put and 100 metres final from August 3 to 12.

Mrs Lishman will also attend a rehearsal test event on August 1 at the arena.

She was the only West Cumbrian chosen, and out of the five clerks is the only one who will clerk both the track and field events.

The clerks role involves them checking the heights of equipment, making sure that boxes, lines and blocks are in the right position and making sure the right equipment is in place for the qualifying rounds and finals of each event.

They will also supervise a team of game makers whose task it is to find equipment for the clerks.

Mrs Lishman, a teacher of modern foreign languages at St Joseph’s School in Workington, said: “I am still finding it hard to believe that it’s me.

“I feel privileged but at the same time I’m also quite frightened because if any of us make a mistake it will be in front of around 90,000 spectators plus all those watching at home and thousands of athletes.”

Mrs Lishman, who has been a hockey umpire since 1974 and umpires for leagues in Cumbria and the North West, was asked three years ago by United Kingdom Athletics, the governing body for UK athletics, whether she would be available.

She received an initial offer from UKA last year and attended a test event at the Olympic stadium in May and was offered the position a fortnight later.

Mrs Lishman, who competed as a javelin thrower in open meets and minor leagues for more than 30 years, has also been an official at sport events in the North West since 1975 and specialises in track, field, start and time.

“It is such an honour to have been chosen” she added. “It will be long, hard days but it will be an experience I will never forget.”

First published at 19:20, Thursday, 19 July 2012
Published by http://www.timesandstar.co.uk