MARIMBA Odundo-Mendez is on course for his first ever English Schools' title at Sheffield next month (July 11/12).

But the 16-year-old Lord Wandsworth College student will not be totally happy with Schools' gold unless he complements it with selection for July's World Youth Games in Canada.

As expected, Odundo-Mendez - now a member Winchester & District AC - was the class act of Saturday's intermediate boys' 200 metres at the Hampshire Schools' Track & Field Championships in Portsmouth.

It was a performance good enough to land him the Bill Bishop Trophy for the sharpest sprint show of the day.

Yet the strapping youngster, who is also an outstanding rugby union player with the Harlequins and England academies, was far from satisfied with his winning time of 22.6 seconds in the colours of Aldershot & District.

It fell a long way short of the 21.8 personal best he registered when finishing third in his age-group at the South of England Under-20 Championships in Watford - and that, in turn, is still shy of the 21.65 qualifying mark he needs for Canada.

Frustratingly for Odundo-Mendez, he has been razor sharp in training under the guidance of his Winchester-based coach, John Davis.

But when it came to performing on the big stage on Saturday, he fell short of his own high expectations.

He reflected: "22.6 is not that impressive. The conditions were good today and I don't know what I did wrong. My training's going well but I don't seem to be running that well in my races.

"Although I did a p.b. at Watford, I came third that day when I really should have won.

"I ran fastest in the heats, but I tensed up in the final and came home behind two of my biggest rivals.

"If I'd been competing at any other regional championships I'd have got the gold medal, but the Southerns are always very strong."

Odundo-Mendez has until the last weekend of the month to stake his claim for Canada - and there is no shortage of races.

Next weekend he is involved in Inter Counties action for Hampshire at Lewes followed by a National Junior League meeting for his second claim club, Basingstoke & Mid Hants.

If that doesn't bear fruit, it could all be down to the pressure cooker atmosphere of the AAA Under-20 Championships at Bedford on June 28/29.

"There will be a lot people going for positions at the AAAs and it would make things a lot easier if I could get the qualifying time before that," he said. "I really want to get to Canada.

"It's what I've been aiming for and, if I don't make it, winning the English Schools' title wouldn't make up for the disappointment of missing out.

"Obviously it would be great to win the Schools but, without the World Youth Games, it wouldn't be the same."

Odundo-Mendez already has one English Schools' medal in his growing collection.

He finished third in the junior boys' 200m at Exeter two years ago.

Last year his progress was halted when the flying winger from Farnham broke his ankle playing rugby.

For more reports and pictures from the Hampshire Schools, see today's Daily Echo