The teenager from Rasharkin is our Ballymoney Sports Personality of the Month.

Karla, who is based at Ice Sheffield, claimed the British junior title with a fabulous skate in her adopted home city earlier this month.

Her prize is a voucher for Molly's Restuarant in Ballymoney, where she can sample something delicious from the wide-ranging menu.

Karla's coach, Margaret O'Neill said: "I have coached Karla since the age of 6 and have always known that Karla has the ability to go to Worlds and Olympics. Karla's aim is the 2012 but we might have a shot at the 2010 worlds.

"With Karla's fight back in the last year she has achieved more than even I could have thought possible in a year and we have renewed the contact with the Ballymoney Times.

"Thanks for all the fab write ups you have done for Karla in the past year and I look forward to reading the build up to 2012 Olympics."

Karin Rowlands, of AKR Promotions who manage Karla's publicity, commented: "This is the first time that ice skating has been represented in this way, Ballymoney is the birthplace of many great sportspersons and actors so it is great that Karla has been recognised for her efforts in this way.

"We would like to take this opportunity to publicly thank Chris Sherrard and his team at the Ballymoney Times for all the support and recognition that they have given Karla this year, it is fantastic to receive another award like this!'

Karla is back in Ice Sheffield in training for her first Senior events of the new season - you can keep up-to-date on all of Karla's news on her official website: www.karlaquinn.com.

Meanwhile, our Moyle Sports Personality of the Month award for January will be announced next week.