CHRISTIAN von Eitzen and Simi Fajemisin will bid to repeat last year’s gold medal-winning displays for Oxfordshire in the English Schools’ Track & Field Championships.

The pair are named in a 25-strong Oxon team for the prestigious competition at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on July 11 and 12.

Von Eitzen, who was successful in the intermediate boys’ 800m 12 months ago, can expect a tougher test this time as he steps up to the senior age group.

The 17-year-old Abingdon School pupil again captains Oxon’s boys’ team.

Fajemisin, 16, from Headington School, defends her intermediate girls’ long jump title.

Oxon’s girls’ team is captained by discus thrower Kathryn Woodcock (Our Lady’s Abingdon), who moves up to the senior age group, having won silver at intermediate level last year.

Oxfordshire hold a strong hand in this event with Woodcock joined by Henley College’s Amy Holder, the top ranked junior in the country.

Rebecca Keating, also from Henley College, the highest-ranked under 20 hammer thrower in the country who will be at the championships, will have her sights focused on gold.

Luisa Chantler Edmond (Cherwell, Oxford), who won silver in the intermediate shot last year, switches to the discus this time as she bids to go one better Amy Herrington (Gillotts, Henley), ranked No 1 in the UK in the under 17 hammer, also has gold medal prospects.

The junior girls’ team includes high jumper Jade O’Dowda (Gosford Hill, Kidlington), who is ranked ninth in the country.

Strong performances are also expected from intermediate boys Ben Claridge (King Alfred’s, Wantage) and Tim Stephens (Magdalen College School, Oxford), who are ranked in the top eight in the UK for the 800m and 400m hurdles respectively.

Discus throwers Tomasz Napiorkowski (Blessed George Napier, Banbury) and Henley College’s Gurlal Randhawa, fourth and sixth in the UK under 20 rankings, will also be aiming to make an impact.

OXFORDSHIRE'S TEAM

BOYS

Senior – 800m: C Von Eitzen (Abingdon). Discus: T Napiorkowski (Blessed George Napier), G Randhawa (Henley College).
Intermediate – 200m: A Rowett (Chipping Norton). 800m: B Claridge (King Alfred’s). 400mH: T Stephens (Magdalen College School). Shot: F Boyce (St Edward’s).
Junior – 800m: W Crisp (Faringdon).

GIRLS

Senior – 1,500m: E Slevin (Kingham Hill). Long jump: L Hooper (John Mason). Discus: A Holder (Henley College), K Woodcock (Our Lady’s). Javelin: M Moran (Magdalen College School). Hammer: R Keating (Henley College).
Intermediate – 1,500m: M Humphreys (Chipping Norton). 300mH: A Byles (Cherwell). Long jump: S Fajemisin (Headington), A Hopkins (Lord Williams’s). Discus: L Chantler Edmond (Cherwell). Hammer: A Herrington (Gillotts).
Junior – 800m: E Thompson (Warriner). 1,500m: N Bowley (Gillotts). 75mH: H Dubber (Blessed George Napier). High jump: J O’Dowda (Gosford Hill), R Scott (Banbury Academy).

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