GEMMA Shepherd continued her amazing start to the 2016 season with another huge personal best at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix in Watford, writes Kevin Fahey.

Lining up for the elite A 1500m race for the first time, the 18-year-old Sheldon School student from Yatesbury responded with an excellent performance to finish third in a time of 4 minutes and 20.62 seconds.

That carved 3.41secs off her previous best and lifted Shepherd to third in the UK Under 20 Women’s Rankings with, remarkably, her fourth PB in just five outings this season, which has also seen her win her first Great Britain vest as well.

“It is all going so well and it has been a great start to the season for me,” said Shepherd.

“I also felt really strong in the Watford race, in which I got boxed in at one stage, so I think there is more to come in the 1500m in the next few months.

“I am grateful that the organisers allowed me to run in the A race. I was originally listed for the B race but I thought the split times were a bit slow so I rang up and asked if I could step up into the A and they agreed.”

Shepherd should have no problem getting into the A race next time as her reputation is spreading after a fine series of performances in which she has set new PBs in the 800m (2:13.75), 3000m (twice, firstly with 9:40.57 and then 9:27.58 on her GB debut) and now 1500m.

Over the 1500m and the 3000m, she is now ranked third in the country – and number one in the South West – and in the former, she is suddenly tantalisingly close to the World Junior Championships qualifying standard of 4:17.

“It would be another big jump to get to four minutes and 17 seconds but it is half in-sight now and not impossible,” added Shepherd.

“I feel I can go faster and it will be getting into the right race to do that but I always have the trials at Bedford, which should be a good race.

“But so far, I couldn’t have asked for a better start to the season.”