Athletics: Rising star Taylor targets England vest (From Gazette Series)

James Taylor finishes second in English Schools Combined Events National Championships

9:00am Friday 9th July 2010 in Sport

CAM athlete James Taylor has set his sights on winning an England vest later this year after recording four personal best performances at the South West School Combined Events Championships at Millfield School.

The 16-year-old qualified for a place in the English Schools Combined Events National Championships in September after finishing second with 4,382 points - a Stroud Athletics Club record.

However, Taylor was disappointed not to win the event after leading the field of 18 with athletes from Dorset, Avon, Somerset, Cornwall, Devon, Wiltshire and Gloucestershire.

He stayed in the lead throughout the first four events, pulling out a massive personal best with a 6.20m long jump. Further success with another PB in the 400m at the end of the first day of the competition saw him lead the field by 130 points.

With searing temperatures on the second day, Taylor dropped into second place by the end of the final event, the 1500m, just 20 points behind the winner.

Taylor felt a poor shot put cost him victory, but he could still reflect on two other personal bests in the hurdles and javelin, and a big improvement on last year when he finished ninth as one of the youngest competitors.

His focus is now on the under-17 England Combined Events Final at Stoke-on-Trent in August and he is aiming for a top two finish, which would qualify him to represent his country against Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales in events across Great Britain.

Taylor, who has just completed his GCSEs at Rednock School, takes his athletics seriously and would like to carry on in the sport after completing his education.

He said: “I would love to do it as a career, that would be amazing, and I would like to get my England vest this year.

“I really enjoy athletics and wouldn’t mind coaching one day.”

Not content with taking part in one event, Taylor has trained hard for the hurdles, long jump, 400m, javelin, discuss, shot put, 1500m and high jump.

If Taylor went on to get an England vest, he would also have to do the pole vault and 100m as part of the decathlon, but has relished participating in different events since taking up Combined Events two years ago.

He said: “I found it more enjoyable than doing just one and I happened to be quite good at it.”