International glory for golden girl Izzy

9:47am Wednesday 23rd July 2008

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TAUNTON School's Izzy Jeffs has won consective gold medals in national and international athletics events.

The Taunton-based 16-year-old and King's College pupils Charlie Maclean and Robin Danahar all picked up medals at the English Schools Athletics Finals in Gateshead.

Jeffs won gold in the intermediate girls' javelin while Danaher did the same in the junior boys' javelin and Maclean picked up silver in the 1,500m steeplechase.

Jeffs and Maclean were then selected to represent England in the International Schools meeting against Wales, Scotland and Ireland in Bedford last weekend.

Jeffs repeated her feat from Gateshead by winning another gold.

She threw an outstanding 43.49 metres to achieve top spot and record a championship best performance. Maclean was also in the medals, winning a bronze in the 1,500m steeplechase.

A talented all-round sportswoman, Jeffs won the English Schools junior girls javelin in Gateshead in 2006 and, last year in Birmingham came fourth as a first year intermediate girl.

She is also a heptathlete which means she can compete in most events.

Jeffs has just been selected to compete in the UK Schools Games in Bath in August for the South West team.

She is a member of Taunton Athletic Club, where her coach is Simon de Wilton, sand also North Devon Athletic Club.

Jeffs is also a keen hockey player - she was in the Taunton School U-18 team which reached the National Indoor Finals in January - and last year played hockey for the West of England.

As a youngster, Jeffs also played rounders for England U-13 and 14.