Day Four- Afternoon session

Full timetables and results can be found at the World Junior championships website

Elaine O’Neill (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies) got out strongly after a false start and changed smoothly with Holly Croxford (Winchester & District) in the first leg of the women’s 4 x 100m relay. Croxford ran well but there was a miscalculation in the changeover box from second to third leg and Anike Shand-Whittingham (Blackheath & Bromely Harriers) did not receive the baton. The team, made up of O’Niell, Croxford, Whittingham and 100m World Junior Silver medallist Ashlee Nelson (City of Stoke), did not finish.

Matthew Owens (Liverpool Harriers) qualified for the final of the men’s high jump with a best jump of 2.14m, cleared on his first attempt. He will jump again on the last day of competition, Sunday 13 July.

The men’s 4 x 100m team faired better than their female counterparts in their heat, setting a new seasons best of 39.84 and showing great unity with a slick race. They go through to the final in fourth place overall and face a tough challenge tomorrow against strong teams from USA, South Africa and Jamaica.

Meghan Beesley (Birchfield Harriers) brought home team GB & NI’s second medal of the competition as she stormed her 400m hurdles final to cross the line in third place clocking a new personal best of 57.08 Her World Junior Championships campaign pays perfect testimony to the aims of this competition as she battled her way to the final after a poor first heat, learning from early mistakes and coming back strong in the next rounds.

In an incredibly fast women’s 800m final Alison Leonard (Blackburn Harriers) lost out on a bronze medal in the cruellest of circumstances just before she crossed the line. Her personal best time of 2:02.05 was little consolation. The race began at a very fast pace with Leonard bravely running to eventual winner, Elena Mirela Lavric’s (ROU) fast plan. She held out, after a 400m split time of 57.28, but with just 40m to go had nothing left and the Dutch Machteld Anna Mulder closed the gap and past her in the last moments.