JADE O’Dowda has been selected to represent England at the Commonwealth Games.

The former Oxford City AC youngster is one of 72 athletes picked for the event, which starts next month in Birmingham.

O’Dowda, who now represents Newham & Essex Beagles, has never competed at a major championships at senior level.

She is one of three English heptathletes picked for the Games, alongside 2019 world champion Katarina Johnson-Thompson and Holly Mills.

The 22-year-old’s previous experience of a major international event came back in 2018, when she was seventh at the World Under 20 Championships.

O’Dowda is in esteemed company, with Johnson-Thompson not the only famous name in the England squad.

British record-holder and current world 200m champion Dina Asher-Smith and Tokyo Olympic 800m silver-medallist Keely Hodgkinson are among those involved.

The athletics competition schedule gets under way on Saturday, July 30 with the marathon in and around Birmingham.

The track and field athletes will compete at the Alexander Stadium from Tuesday, August 2 to Sunday, August 7, with 59 medals up for grabs.

O'Dowda is the younger sister of former Oxford United winger Callum O'Dowda, now at Cardiff City.