BASINGSTOKE and Mid Hants athlete Mair Edwards became the 200m World Schools Champion in France.

The teenager won the race in a personal best time of 23.89 seconds, well ahead of the second placed athlete. Her time is just 0.09 outside the European under-20 qualifying time.

The trophy was presented to the 17-year-old by Renaud Lavillenie, the world pole vault record holder.

The following day, Edwards was part of a medley relay team made up of 100m, 200m, 300m and 400m legs.

The England Girl’s team won convincingly in a time of 2min 07.48sec breaking the under-18 world record.

This weekend, Edwards travels to Birmingham as part of the Hampshire Schools Team for the English Schools Championships, where she will be looking to defend her 200m title for a third consecutive year.

Edwards trains at Basingstoke and Mid Hants Athletics Club under coach John Davis. She is one of 12 club athletes to be selected to represent their county in the English Schools Championship The others are Jordan Ford (long jump) and Will Jones (discus), both in junior boys. Ben Pattison (400m) will be competing as an intermediate boy and senior boy James Beeks (steeplechase).

For the girls, Isabel Pinder will be in high jump action as a junior girl, while Rebecca Bullock (800m), Rebecca Poole (steeplechase) and Catherine Edwards (300m) are intermediate girls. Both Mair Edwards (200m) and Milly Cook (shot) will compete as a senior girls.

Competing for Berkshire will be senior boy Blaine Lewis-Shallow (400m) and intermediate girl Isobel Mannion (1500m).