Shaftesbury Barnet pole vaulter Jade Ive has vowed to banish the memories of an injury-hit 12 months by returning to the scene of former glories at October’s Commonwealth Games.

The 18-year-old served notice of her Olympic medal potential by claiming gold at the 2008 Commonwealth Youth Games in India – only for a back injury to condemn her to the sidelines for the entirety of 2009.

Despite the setback, Ive has been retained by UK Athletics as one of 15 athletes on the Original Source-sponsored Heroes project, which will provide her with financial support throughout the year.

And, after battling back from the injury which ruled her out of last year’s European Junior Championships, Ive has vowed to make up for lost time by taking in the world equivalent in Canada, before jetting to the Delhi Games.

“I have had a difficult time but I am determined to get to the World Junior Championships this year and my coach thinks I can get to the Commonwealths as well,” said Ive.

“I was out in India in 2008 and I had an incredible time, it wasn’t just that I won gold but I also had a brilliant experience.

“It is a completely different culture out there and I loved every second of it because I had never ever been anywhere like it.

“Our hotel had walls missing and it was a building site, but within a couple of days everything was up and running and it was incredible.

“People were coming up to me and asking me for my autograph, so I’ll have to practice it if I get to go out there again.”

Thanks to the Heroes project, Ive will receive two £500 bursaries towards kit, travel expenses, medical support and equipment during the summer, with one of the 15 set to bank a further £1,000 as the UKA's winning Hero.

And Ive, who is yet to return to competitive action this year, admits she is desperate to pay back the faith shown in her by UKA.

“It is brilliant that they have stood by me despite my injury and believed in the potential which I have,” added Ive.

“It was such a shame to suffer the injury off the back of the great year I had in 2008 and to know before the season even began that I was out for the whole thing.

“But I am back now and I am feeling good, and I have made some changes, so hopefully I can do the worlds and the Commonwealths which would be a great way to make up for it.

“I haven’t settled on a comeback date, because I don’t want to make a big deal of it, but I am ready to give it everything this year and hopefully show everyone what I am capable of again.”

* UKA Heroes project sponsored by Original Source is a successful initiative which offers financial support to talented young athletes who are working towards the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.