WILL Stockley is gearing himself up for a big finale to his season after being called into the England South West team for the Sainsbury’s UK School Games.

The 16-year-old from Semington, near Trowbridge, was promoted from the reserves bench to run the 3,000m at the four-day event, which takes place in Manchester from September 3-6.

But before Stockley can think of his trip north he has to get himself psyched up for this weekend when he lines up for the 1,500m steeplechase at the England Under 17 Championships in Bedford.

“It is going to be a big last week of the season,” said Melksham Oak School student Stockley. “I am really looking forward to the steeplechase and while there is a very strong field I am hoping to get onto the podium and win a medal.

“Then it is up to Manchester and I am not sure what to expect there.”

Stockley has already had a busy August. Last weekend he clocked four minutes 12 seconds, his second quickest ever behind his PB of 4:01.63, for the 1,500m at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix.

The previous week he was runner-up in the 1,500m steeplechase at the South of England Championships, recording a personal best of 4:25.77.

Only great rival James Beeks finished ahead of him as the pair ran the quickest times in the UK this season with bronze medallist Terence Fawden going third in the 2015 rankings.

The same trio are likely to contest the medals again in Bedford and Stockley will be hoping to avenge that defeat.

“It is going to be a tough race but I am looking forward to it,” he added.

As a measure of the significance of Stockley’s selection for Manchester it is worth stating that the England South West squad is drawn from the following counties – Avon, Berk, Bucks, Channel Islands Cornwall, Devon, Dorset, Gloucestershire, Hampshire, Somerset, Sussex and Wiltshire so places are very hard to come by.

Stockley will be among 1,600 youngsters taking part in this year’s Games and will compete across 12 sports, seven of which include disability disciplines, at the four-day event which is supported by National Lottery funding from Sport England and delivered by the Youth Sport Trust.