TROWBRIDGE teenager Tom Gale’s rapid rise in the high jumping world continues this weekend at the England Age Group Championships in Sheffield.

The 16-year-old John of Gaunt School Year 11 student only took up the discipline two years ago but has since made huge strides.

Gale clinched the Wiltshire Schools Championships title in 2013 and went on to finish second in the South West Schools Championships in 2014 with a personal best of 1.86 metres.

The Team Bath athlete, coached by Di Viles, has contested an indoor campaign for the first time this season and won the recent South West Championships, held in Cardiff, with 1.85m.

A fortnight ago, at the Birmingham Games, he hit new heights with a leap of 1.95m, ranking him at that time joint first for the U17 age group in the country.

IN THE senior women’s race at the Saucony English National Cross Country Championships, 21-year-old Bradford on Avon runner Katherine Turner had her best run of the winter to finish 26th and top Wiltshire athlete.

Avon Valley Runners’ veteran Ruth Barnes also impressed on her debut in the event at Parliament Hill, London, on Saturday, by finishing 51st from a field of 865 runners.

Sheldon School student Gemma Shepherd can also feel very satisfied with her top 20 finish in the under-17 women’s race and Marshfield-based Themis Bower was 35th and leading Wiltshire runner in the under-17 men’s race.

Hilperton’s John Howorth also made the top 100 in 84th.

Newly-crowned Wiltshire 10 miles champion George Frost heads a strong local contingent for the Bath half marathon on Sunday with Team Bath clubmate and Dauntsey’s School teacher Allister Sheffield also entered.