A YOUNG hockey star’s Olympic journey has so far been a successful one after her team secured two victories in three days.

Fiona Crackles, from Kirkby Lonsdale, helped Great Britain’s women’s hockey team storm to victory against India, beating them 4-1 in the early hours of Wednesday morning (UK time).

GB’s Hannah Martin opened the scoring spree in the first minute of the game and doubled her tally with another shot in the second quarter.

India’s Sharmila Devi managed to pull a goal back for her team, but Lily Owsley put Great Britain even further ahead with a goal from close range.

And Grace Balsdon converted a penalty stroke into the top left corner.

On Monday, the women also managed to fend off South Africa with another convincing 4-1 win to get the defence of their Olympic title back on track, after a disappointing defeat against Germany on Sunday.

Ellie Rayer scored just before half-time to cancel out South Africa’s Nicole Walraven's opener, before scoring again after 50 minutes.

Lily Owsley and Laura Unsworth also scored one a-piece to ensure Great Britain’s first victory in their campaign to win gold-once again.

The team’s next clash will be against Pool A leaders the Netherlands today.

As it stands Great Britain lies in third place in their pool, with the top four countries qualifying for a place in the quarterfinals.

The 21-year-old defender is a former Queen Elizabeth School student and prior to jetting to Japan for the 2020 games, she had only made her senior debut for Great Britain eight months before when she came on as a substitute against the Netherlands in November.

The Durham University student further impressed after being named player of the match in her fourth appearance from Great Britain against Belgium.

She was subsequently rewarded by being offered a full-time place on the senior programme in January this year.

Cumbria has sent six athletes to this year’s summer Olympic aGmes; marathon runner Chris Thompson from Barrow makes his return to represent Great Britain 15 years after his international debut; footballer Georgia Stanway, also from Barrow, has helped secure the women’s football team’s progress into the quarter-finals; track and field athlete Nicholas Miller, who specialises in the hammer throw, is from Carlisle and was the gold medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games; Badminton player Lauren Smith, also from Carlisle; and 800 metre runner Dustin Oliver from Whitehaven.