JADE O’Dowda is still coming to terms with one of the best victories of her fledgling career.

The Oxford City AC star sent more records tumbling as she won heptathlon gold at the England U20 Combined Events Championships in Bedford.

She set a personal best of 5,610 points, beating the seven-year-old record for the competition held by Olympian Katarina Johnson-Thompson.

The victory has also secured her spot in the IAAF World U20 Championships, which take place in Tampere, Finland, on July 10-15.

O’Dowda, who recently rose to third in the senior national rankings, is still digesting her achievement.

The 18-year-old said: “It was a very good weekend – it’s not really sunk in.

“I didn’t really pay a massive amount of attention to the record.

“They announced it just before I received my medal and I said to myself ‘oh my god’.

“KJT’s like an idol of mine and that’s insane.”

O’Dowda led the way after the first day, starting with a pb of 14.33secs to win the 100m hurdles.

Strong performances in the high jump and 200m, as well as a new mark of 12.21m in the shot, saw the Gosford Hill School, Kidlington, pupil lead by 114 points.

She then enjoyed an equally impressive second day, with a pb of 6.05m in the long jump followed by good displays in the javelin and 800m.

It resulted in the teenager not only smashing her previous best by 106 points, but bettering Johnson-Thompson’s championship record of 5,577 from 2011.

O’Dowda’s coach Marcia Marriott could not hide her delight.

She said: “Jade performed magnificently – it was just incredible.

“She is such a good competitor, keeps her cool, doesn’t get flustered, she processes everything in such a mature way.

“I took her on as a 13-year-old and she has worked so hard for this.”

O’Dowda is eager to keep her feet on the ground after the success.

But she does have another target in her sights.

“I think Marcia’s pb for a heptathlon is 5,630,” she said.

“We were joking I might get hers next.”