SOUTHAMPTON'S Nick Ball has walked his way into another international vest.
The 15-year-old race-walking sensation from Hedge End has been selected to represent Great Britain in the bi-annual world team championships in Naumburg, Germany, on May 1/2, competing in the junior (under-20) age group.
The Wildern schoolboy set his 45.20min qualifying time in the Southern Senior Men's Championships in January and went on to win the AAA U20 Indoor Championships at Birmingham in a new UK all-time age-group best of 12.47 for three kilometres.
From there, Ball walked for the GBR junior team against Spain, Hungary, Ireland and France at the Leamington Grand Prix, finishing fifth over 10k in 47.20 in poor conditions.
His latest outing came two weeks ago at the EAA permit races in Dudince, Slovakia, where he placed third in the under-18 10K against the best youngsters from Hungary, Lithuania, Serbia, Slovakia, Latvia and the Ukraine.
Ball is gearing up for his next big challenge with a week of warm-weather training in Spain, followed by a week's preparation with the senior GB walking squad at Loughborough University.
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