WILTSHIRE athletes Gemma Shepherd and Tom Gale are this week celebrating their first international vests after being named in the Great Britain U20s squad for the Loughborough International Games on Sunday.

Chippenham’s Sheldon School student Shepherd, who lives in Yatesbury, has been selected to run the 3000m while John of Gaunt School, Trowbridge, student Gale will contest the high jump.

Gale’s selection was expected as he tops the UK Rankings this summer after twice improving his personal best but Shepherd said she was shocked by her all-up.

“It is amazing and so unexpected as well,” said 18-year-old Shepherd.

“I had no idea at all I would be picked. I always see the results of this meeting but never expected my time would be good enough to be picked for the team.

“I am just so chuffed!”

Shepherd has run just one 3000m this season carving seven seconds off her personal best with a time of 9mins 40.57secs to put her fourth in the UK Rankings.

“Now I have to try and run as fast as I can on Sunday and enjoy the occasion,” added Shepherd.

Neither Shepherd or Gale, who are both members of Team Bath AC, will be expected to make the podium on Sunday as they will be up against leading senior athletes in what is always a high quality meeting.

Gale’s target will be to try and improve his PB for a third successive weekend and get closer to the World Junior Championships qualifying mark of 2.17m but that will be a bonus on what marks a notable step in the 17-year-old’s career.

“To say the least I am very happy,” said Gale.

“To think that last year I was just scraping by at the English Schools’ Championships (he finished eighth) and now I am winning my first GB vest is amazing.

“I feel I have taken a big step forward in the last six months and I am very proud of how I am doing at the moment.”