RISING triple jump star Abbie Chaundy is hoping that a move to Oaklands College will continue her impressive progress in the sport.

The 17-year-old Swindon Harrier, from Fairford, has just completed her AS Levels at Farmor’s School but will now leave that establishment to begin a two-year diploma in sports and exercise course at the specialist sports college in St Albans.

“In addition to the academic studies two hours are reserved every day, from 4-6pm, for sport at Oaklands College,” said Chaundy.

“They have academies for hockey, basketball, athletics and many other sports at the college and I have been accepted onto the podium level (the highest available), which ensures I get access to advice on nutrition, lifestyle coaching, strength and conditioning and all sorts of things that should help me.

“I am really looking forward to it.”

In contrast to the expence-paid sports scholarships to American universities that have been taken up by many South West youngsters in recent years, the move to the Oaklands College is self-financing, with Chaundy’s parents obviously keen to give Abbie the best chance of realising her potential.

In only her second full season in the sport ,Chaundy has progressed her triple jump from 11.16m to 11.82, a personal best she produced in the final of the at the English Schools’ Championships to give her fourth place in the senior girls’ age group.

That has put her top of the South West Rankings for under 20 women, almost a metre clear of her nearest rival and eighth in the UK, which is a remarkable achievement for a newcomer in such a technical event that often takes many years to master.

“Triple jump is a hard event but I am really determined to go for it and hopefully over the next two years I can keep improving and get to the top of the UK Rankings,” added Chaundy.

Chaundy is not just an accomplished triple jumper either. At the recent South West Inter Counties Championships staged at the Exeter Arena, she claimed a superb hat-trick of gold medals, with success in the Under 20 women’s 100m and long jump, in addition to dominating the triple jump.

She won the 100m in 12.59secs, the long jump with 5.51m, which was only seven centimetres outside her PB set last month, and the triple jump with 10.64m.

“Abbie has been training much better this year and has had excellent season,” said Harriers coach Tony Jackson. “Her performances this season have been astounding.”

Chaundy is now looking forward to the next stage of her career and hoping that 2015 can be even better than this summer.

“The season has gone well and I was particularly pleased with that PB in the final of the English Schools’ Championships,” said Chaundy.

“That was way better than I expected and was undoubtedly my best performance of the season.”