LOREN Bleaken is this week celebrating her first international call-up for the England senior team, writes Kevin Fahey.

The 19-year-old former Hardenhuish School student from Marshfield has been selected for an England team to race the 400m indoors in Bratislava, which is the capital of Slovakia, on Sunday (February 1).

“It is a really good start to the year for me and racing in Bratislava should be a great experience,” said Bleaken.

“This is my first England senior best so that is great and I am very excited about the competition and really looking forward to racing there.

“Obviously I have never been there but I believe it is a big competition.”

Previously Bleaken, who is advised by Broughton Gifford-based coach Malcolm Arnold, has represented Great Britain and England at junior level – most noticeably at the World Junior Championships in America last year – so her first international senior vest marks a significant step forward in her career.

Bleaken will certainly be looking to step up from her opening competition of the year when she clocked 55.50secs at the Metaswitch Games, in London, at the start of the month.

“Hopefully I can get close to my indoor personal best (54.87secs set in 2013) and I would love to get down into the low 54secs,” added Bleaken.

Bleaken will fly out with her England team-mates on Saturday for Sunday’s fixture and on her return has lined up a further competition at the Birmingham Games before tackling the British Indoor Championships.

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