TEENAGE high jumper Tom Gale is ready to take his career to new heights after being included in Team England’s squad to compete at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The former John of Gaunt student smashed his personal best by six centimetres at the Wiltshire Track & Field Championships in May this year with a height of 2.20m.

The 18-year-old then went on to add a staggering 10cm when he cleared 2.30m at the CAU Inter-County Championships in Bedford, a height that would have seen him finish seventh at last year’s Rio Olympics.

After receiving the call a fortnight ago, Gale says he is delighted that his stellar season and hard work has reaped its rewards.

“It was incredible to find out, I’m incredibly excited,” said Gale, who also said he felt humbled by the support he has been shown by friends and family.

“From the early part to the middle of my season, we thought going to the Commonwealth Games was possible, but we thought it was a long reach with a lot of work.

“We thought it could happen, but we said not to get our hopes up but after I jumped 2.20m at the European Youth Championships and 2.30m in Bedford, that’s when I started thinking it could happen.

“So, to get the call two weeks ago was incredible, it felt phenomenal.

“A lot of my friends are in athletics so they have been messaging me, congratulating me and my family have been doing the same thing.

“It’s great to have the support network around because it is nice to have people to celebrate with, it’s nice to go, but knowing there are people who are proud of you is really humbling.”

His inclusion in the squad is the first senior international competition for Gale, but the teenager insists he won’t be daunted by the level of competition.

“I’m just really grateful to be able to go away and compete on such a big stage,” he added.

“I definitely feel ready, I have competed at two Diamond League matches against some of the best jumpers in the world and in Birmingham, I managed to hold my own against them. “So, to go into the Commonwealth Games ranked fourth, or equal fourth, means I am definitely confident.

“Hopefully I can go in there, do as well as I can and take as may scalps as possible.

“We are training until January, then I will be doing a few competitions and then I have a couple of training camps, so I’ll be putting in a lot of hard work.”