GEMMA Shepherd marked her debut for the Team Bath senior women’s squad with a sizzling performance in the Midland Counties Road Relay Championships at Sutton Park, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The 17-year-old Sheldon School student, from Yatesbury, who has enjoyed a terrific summer on the track, was forced to switch from the opening leg to the final one after being held up by traffic into Birmingham but if she was flustered Shepherd didn’t show it.

In fact Shepherd seemed inspired by the occasion and despite being isolated when she took over in fifth place she produced the seventh fastest time of the day from over 300 women to bring home Team Bath into fourth place just 33 seconds off the podium.

“It was a really fun event to do and I thoroughly enjoyed it,” said Shepherd.

“It was good to run with the seniors and I think the distance suited me perfectly and it was nice to be part of a team at the event and I am looking forward to doing more of them in the future.”

Shepherd will get her chance next week as Team Bath has qualified to take part in the English Championships over the same course.

“I was pleased with my time on Saturday and getting seventh fastest overall and hopefully I can go even quicker next time,” added Shepherd.

Team captain Jo Thompson paid special praise to Shepherd for her efforts.

“She was the youngest member of the team and making her debut and despite being quite a way behind the girl in third she really cut into her lead and ran really well,” said Thompson.

“We will now be running the Nationals in two weeks and I think we can go even better there.”

The men’s squad also qualified for the Nationals after the squad of Tommy Davies, Dan Jones, George Frost, Mike Dooley, Dave Coales and Mike Blackmore finished 21st.

Representing Wiltshire, Team Bath athletes Jake Nickerson, Rory Howorth and Maksym Obermok took part in the English Schools Pentathlon Championships at Bedford over the weekend.

Competing in the U15 boys’ competition Nickerson finished 20th overall, Howorth 28th and Obermok 32nd.

The first race in the 2015/16 Wiltshire off-road league takes place on Saturday (September 26th) with the Roundway Rampage 7 miles multi terrain event in Devizes (10am).

The league comprises eight events in total including the White Horse Gallop 8, Westbury on October 18, the Wickstead Wander, Highworth on November 22, the Wiltshire Cross Country Championships, Bath University on December 13 and in 2016 the Lungbuster 8, Royal Wootton Bassett (February 7), the SMaRTT Smasher, Calne (February 21st) and the Wiltshire Scramble, Calne (March 26).

Details of the eighth race have yet to be conformed and for full details see the website at www.wiltshire-athletics.org.uk