A CHAMPION track cyclist from Newport will put down her bike for the day to run with the Olympic Torch.

Ellie Coster, 16, who recently won the Welsh youth track championships, will start her leg from Big Pit in Blaenavon.

She has just returned from the UK school’s games, where she won the first youth gold on the new Olympic velodrome track.

The Duffryn High School pupil was nominated to carry the torch by her older sister, Shelly Jones, 26, who praised Ellie’s help looking after her nephew Josh and her brother Ryan, who has severe learning difficulties and suffers from epilepsy.

Ellie’s mum, Karen Coster, said: "the whole family are very proud."