GREGG School shot put ace Serena Vincent is celebrating selection for the Commonwealth Youth Games.

Instead of heading to Birmingham for this weekend’s English Schools’ Track & Field Championships (July 7/8), the 15-year-old from Bursledon will be packing her bags for The Bahamas where she will represent England later this month.

Vincent’s proud dad Andrew said: “Despite an incredible season in 2016, the thought of representing England in the 2017 Commonwealth Youth Games at only 15 years old was still little more than a dream for Serena.

“But, following an outstanding start to 2017, winning the Indoor British Championships and the South of England Championships, the opportunity seemed more realistic.

“Serena will be gutted not to be able to return to the English Schools’ Championships this year to defend her title, but it provides a new challenge for her at international level that she will most definitely grasp.”

Vincent – winner of junior girls’ gold at the 2016 English Schools Championships - is joined in England's Bahamas-bound athletics squad by her City of Portsmouth clubmate and fellow shot putter Gaia Osborne and Andover long jumper Holly Mills.

The Commonwealth Youth Games, taking place from July 18-23, will include the sports of athletics, swimming, rugby sevens, beach volleyball, judo, boxing and tennis.

It will be the largest international sporting event ever staged in The Bahamas with up to 1,300 youngsters set to participate.

Meanwhile, the Hampshire team for the 2017 English Schools’ Track & Field Championships at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium is:

JUNIOR GIRLS: 200m: Amelia Spry (Horndean) 800m Saffron Moore (Cams Hill) 1500m: Alice Garner (Calthorpe Park) 75m hurdles: Tabitha Proudley (Testwood) High jump: Isabel Pinder (Costello), Lara Scott (Mountbatten) Long jump: Jasmyn Allen (Brookfield), Yasmin Grosvenor (Hawley Place), Lana Blake (Ballard) Discus: Ellie Lovett (Sandown) Hammer: Jessica Bennett (Bitterne Park), Phoebe March (Cams Hill).

INTERMEDIATE GIRLS: 200m: Hannah Childs (Bridgemary) 300m: Abigail Dennison (St Swithuns), Catherine Edwards (Costello) 800m: Rebecca Bullock (Calthorpe Park), Ellie Farrow (Ditcham Park), Anya Pigden (Churchers) 80m hurdles: Holly Thurgood (Bay House) 1500m steeplechase: Rebecca Poole (Bishop Challoner) High jump: Amaya Scott (Mountbatten), Jessica Gordon (Applemore) Long jump: Maddie Wilton (Cams Hill) Discus: Samantha Callaway (Hampshire Collegiate), Heather Cubbage (Springfield) Hammer: Cerys Thomas (Purbrook Park).

SENIOR GIRLS: 100m: Izzy Bryant (Barton Peveril), Ellie Hodgson (Itchen College) 200m: Mair Edwards (Queen Mary’s), Jasmine McClutchie (Peter Symonds) 3000m: Charlotte Dannatt (Farnborough Hill) 1500m steeplechase: Maisie Grice (Peter Symonds) Triple jump: Hollie Garrathy (Richard Taunton) Discus: Isobel Gray (Peter Symonds) Javelin: Millie Cavanagh (Itchen College) Shot put: Millie Cook (Queen Mary’s).

JUNIOR BOYS: 100m: Jacob Nelson (Brune Park) 300m: Jack McDonald (Hounsdown) 800m: Liam Dunne (Bohunt) 80m hurdles: Wilfred McKenzie (Brookfield), Elliott Evans (Cams Hill) High jump: Callum Gregson (Bitterne Park), Adam Robinson (Harrow Way), Quinn Matthews (Lord Wandsworth) Long jump: Jordan Ford (Testbourne) Discus: Oliver Thatcher (Thornden), Will Jones Javelin: Bradley Jenvey (Toynbee) Hammer: Sam Clifton (Wildern).

INTERMEDIATE BOYS: 200m: Joe Martin (Hounsdown) 400m: Ben Pattison (Robert Mays), Jack Higgins (Bitterne Park) 800m: Dan Howells (Cove) 3000m: Zak Mahamed (Cantell), Lachlan Wellington (Cams Hill) 1500m steeplechase: Henry McLuckie (Christ the King) High jump: Jack Norton (Portsmouth Grammar) Long jump: George Rosam (Crofton) Javelin: Tom Hewson (John Hanson), Joshua Wise (Oaklands), Kameron Duxbury (Crookhorn).

SENIOR BOYS: 400m: Lynden Olowe (Itchen College) 3000m: Jack Boswell (Farnborough 6th) 110m hurdles: Owen Lawrence (Itchen College), Kaniya Mitshweni (Peter Symonds) 400m hurdles: James Jackson (Peter Symonds), Tom Miller (Portsmouth Grammar) 2000m steeplechase: James Beeks (Queen Mary’s) High jump: Glen Foster (Peter Symonds), Adam Jones (Barton Peveril).