9:23am Thursday 2nd September 2010
CAM athlete James Taylor is ‘over the moon’ after being selected to make his international debut this weekend.
The 16-year-old will represent England against athletes from Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales in the under-17 decathlon at the Home Countries International in Stoke.
The former Rednock School pupil has only been competing in Combined Events for the last two years but finished second at the South West School Combined Events Championships at Millfield and was fourth at the under-17 England Combined Events Final this year.
“I was over the moon,” said Taylor on his call-up.
“I was very, very happy and went on smiling for the whole day and carried on for a couple days more.
“I have been working hard this season and it shows that hard work can get you an England vest.”
Taylor is not content with just representing his country and has set his sights high this weekend.
He said: “ I am aiming to score 6,000 points, which would be a good score, and I would like to medal.”
As a 100m runner, Taylor joined Stroud Athletics Club two years ago to improve his sprinting but coach Steve Carr inspired him to try all the other disciplines and he had instant success by winning an open Combined Events competition in Exeter.
Taylor said: “He (Carr) thought it was always good for people to try every event, he likes everyone to have an open mind.
“I tried everything, liked it and I was good at it. I went to a combined events competition and won after training for just two of the events.”
Taylor receives pole vault coaching from Commonwealth gold medal winner Neil Winter at Bristol and West AC, and that has helped make it one of his strongest disciplines.
“He (Winter) is very technical,” said Taylor.
“His knowledge of pole vault is incredible.”
Taylor also receives discuss coaching from English Schools bronze medal winner Gareth Winter at Gloucester.
In July, he attended an intensive week of training with Performance Running in Hillingdon and won the Outstanding Athlete award.
He worked with a prestigious group of coaches at the camp including former Olympic champion Sally Gunnell, Rodger Hughes, Commonwealth Games triple jumper Larry Achike, European 400m Junior Champion Tim Benjamin, and international decathletes Joe Lancaster and Simon Wells
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