DAVE Bishop is hoping to show his true form when he lines up for the Sainsbury's British Championships, which incorporate the trials for the World Championships, in Birmingham this weekend, writes Kevin Fahey.

The Commonwealth Games runner, who is based in Albuquerque, is back at his family home in Chippenham for the summer season.

Bishop believes he is in good shape but his performance at the British Milers’ Club Grand Prix in Watford on Saturday, when he finished 14th in 3mins 45.26secs, didn’t reflect that.

“That was my first 1500m outdoors since the Commonwealth Games and it wasn’t the best,” said Bishop.

“I was supposed to have raced one in America but it was cancelled due to a thunderstorm. Then, when I got back to Chippenham, I had a race lined up in Spain but I missed the flight, so I have not had the best of luck.”

But Bishop is taking heart from the fact that training has been going well and that with a few more races, he will get the sharpness back in his legs to be able to attack his personal best of 3:37.51.

“I have been running PB times in training so I know I am fit and once I get a couple under my belt, things will be different,” added Bishop.

“I am expecting to run a PB this summer and this start may be a blessing in disguise. In previous seasons, I have started fantastic but then died off whereas this summer, hopefully I will get better towards the end.”

n GEMMA Shepherd is one of five athletes from Sheldon School named in the 25-strong Wiltshire squad for the English Schools’ Track & Field Championships in Gateshead.

The 17-year-old 1500m runner, from Yatesbury, has been selected with school colleagues Ulas Akkus (100m), Louis Torto (200m), Sam Roberts (100H) and Joseph Collins (80H).

It is the biggest presence of any single school in the squad, with John of Gaunt boasting three athletes and Matravers and St Augustine’s two apiece.

Shepherd has been one of the county’s most consistent and impressive performers at the event in recent years and finished fourth in the inter girls’ 1500m final in both 2014 and 2013.

At the other end of the age spectrum, 12-year-old St Augustine’s student Rory Howorth will be making his debut in the event.

Howorth, who won the county title and was runner-up in the South West Schools’ Championship, is ranked 18th in the UK at U15s.

Devizes School’s Emily Hutchinson competes in her fifth and final championships and after a superb bronze last year, the 18-year-old will be looking to make the podium again.

In her first season in the 1500m steeplechase, John of Gaunt’s Caitlin Wosika is third in the UK U17s rankings and will have high hopes, as will Melksham Oak’s Will Stockley amongst the inter boys.

Wiltshire team – senior girls: 1500: Gemma Shepherd (Sheldon); SP: Emily Hutchinson (Devizes); HT: Ellie-J Webb (Matravers).

Inter girls – 80H: Zoe Mattacks (John of Gaunt); 1500S/C: Caitlin Wosika (John of Gaunt); 3000: Zoe Wassell (Malmesbury); LJ: Abbey Miles (Lydiard Park Academy), Polly Maton (Dauntsey’s).

Junior girls – hammer: Zoe-Ann Bishop (Wootton Bassett School).

Inter boys – 100: Ulas Akkus (Sheldon); 200: Louis Torto (Sheldon); 400: Callum McTaggart (Bishop Wordsworth CoE Grammar School); 100H: Sam Roberts (Sheldon); 400H: Callum Short (St John’s School & Community College); 1500S/C: Will Stockley (Melksham Oak); HJ: Tom Gale (John of Gaunt); LJ: Gam Dumbutshena (Ridgeway).

Junior boys – 80H: Joseph Collins (Sheldon), Maksym Obermok (St Laurence); 800: Hayden Bailey (Matravers); 1500: Rory Howorth (St Augustines Catholic College); TJ: Jake Nickerson (St Laurence); LJ: Maric Olech (St Augustines Catholic College); Jav: Nicholas Rusinov (Marlborough College).

  • BROTHERS Callum and Kieran Short, from St John's Academy, came fourth and 11th respectively in the intermediate boys' octathlon at the South West Schools Combined Events meeting at Yeovil last weekend.

The Wiltshire team came third overall, with Callum earning a place at the National Combined Events Championships in September.