CAROLINE HATLEY continued her build-up to next month’s English Schools’ Combined Events finals by finishing fourth in the England Athletics under-15 pentathlon championships in Birmingham on Sunday.

The event offered the Ashford AC youngster the opportunity to get used to the atmosphere of Alexander Stadium, ahead of her appearance in September and she responded superbly, achieving a personal best points tally of 2,918, leaving her just 13 points off the bronze medal athlete.

Her performance also lifted her from 12th to sixth In the UK rankings.

Hatley collected two big personal bests, running 11.79 seconds for the 75m hurdles, and an impressive 2mins 28.49 seconds for the 800m, taking more than 2.5 seconds off her previous best.

Before the 800m – always the last event – Hatley was lying in eighth, but her time, the fastest in the competition, moved her up four places.

Her shot putt was her second best throw of the season and she just failed at 1.55m in the high jump which would have been another pb.

This competition will have improved her prospects for the ESAA finals in Birmingham, where her coach, Chas Robinson, believes she has an excellent chance of breaking through the 3000-point mark.

Hatley will have a chance to sharpen up her high jump on Sunday when she competes for Kent in an inter-counties fixture at Hendon