HEPTATHLETE Louise Hazel has missed out on selection for the World Championships but her performance in an international in France bodes well for the future. Hazel, from March, was hoping to achieve a score of 5,900 that would have put her on the plane to

HEPTATHLETE Louise Hazel has missed out on selection for the World Championships but her performance in an international in France bodes well for the future.

Hazel, from March, was hoping to achieve a score of 5,900 that would have put her on the plane to Osaka, Japan, for the World Championships which begin on August 25.

But the 21-year-old fell short and scored 5,594 in Aix-en-Provence at the weekend.

However, her performance helped the Great Britain and Northern Ireland women to a victory in the under-23 women's heptathlon.

The team's score of 16,445 points put them ahead of France (15,714) and Switzerland (15,712).

Hazel, sponsored by the Cambs Times, led the event at the end of the first day with a score of 3,325. A 100m hurdles time of 13.82 was followed by a high jump of 1.61m, a throw of 11.54m in the shot and a season's best time of 24.40 in the 200m.

But in the second day, a long jump of 5.78m, a throw of 39.93m in the javelin and a run of 2:20.27 in the 800m were not enough to maintain the lead.

Fellow Briton Phyllis Agbo produced three personal bests and a lifetime best score of 5,621 to take top spot.

Hazel may not be going to Japan but she contributed to an excellent team performance from the national squad.

As well as victory in the under-23 women's event, the combined men's and women's team were also triumphant, scoring 36,476 to see off the French and Swiss teams.

Jenny Lumley added to the British success story by winning the junior women's heptathlon.