1 September 2007.

A fabulous hat-trick of victories by Niall Flannery fired Gateshead Harriers to victory at the UKA National Young Athletes’ Auxiliary Final at the Alexander Stadium, Birmingham, today.

It was no surprise when he opened his day with victory in the 400m hurdles because he went to the top of the season’s Power of 10 Under 17 rankings in this event with his winning time of 52.57 seconds at the UK School Games in Coventry last weekend. But he followed his meeting record of 53.84 seconds by running away with the 800m in 2:02.03 and then scampered home in the 100m hurdles in 13.73 seconds.

He even looked like making-up a 35-metres deficit on the ‘glory leg’ of the 4x400m but finally ran out of steam in the final 40m and brought his team home in second place behind Notts AC, who had led the meeting through the first 30 of the 81 events.

So which sort of competition does Flannery prefer? “Probably a club day because there are more people here. At the championships, you are there on your own. There’s no real team spirit. This feels more like a competition because we are constantly with people.”

Flannery – who is about to begin studying A level maths, chemistry, Spanish and art in the sixth form at the Royal Grammar School, Newcastle, after passing his GCEs with three A*s, four As and three Bs – experienced team spirit in abundance as the match finished: 1 Gateshead Harriers 817.5; 2 Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers 756.5; 3 Notts AC 711; 4 Giffnock North AC 681.5; 5 Cannock and Stafford AC 676; 6 Leeds City AC 671.5; 7 Tonbridge AC 621.5; 8 City of Derry AC 436.5.

To underline Gateshead’s joy, the Male Field Athlete of the Meeting Award went to their Under 13 shot putter Christian Harrison.

Leeds City AC took both Female Awards. Hannah Evenden was the popular choice for the top award after setting two meeting records among her three victories – 37.26m in the discus and 36.68m to improve her own hammer best by 6.17m in a year. So which is her favourite event? “It’s between the shot and discus at the moment,” says Evenden, who is coached by the legendary Geoff Paish.

On a windy, dull day there were few more meeting records but Under 13 Sam Hall (Gateshead) sped to 75m hurdles victory in 12.66 seconds to knock 0.41sec off the previous best.

And Under 17 high jumper Amy Marchant (Leeds) cleared 1.65m to equal meeting record set 13 years ago by Lee McConnell (City of Glasgow AC). Amy landed her title at about the moment Lee was securing Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland a place in the women’ 4x400m final at the IAAF World Championships in Osaka … a vivid reminder of how far talented young athletes can go providing they work hard in pursuit of their dreams!

The intriguing question is: how many of these winners today will become tomorrow’s national heroes…

Under 17 boys – 100m: T Moseley (Leeds) 11.10. 200m: M Warner (Notts) 22.29. 400m: Warner 50.58. 800m: N Flannery (Gateshead) 2:02.03. 1500m: G Belcher (Leeds) 4:15.78. 3000m: M Christie (Derry) 9:14.6. 1500m steeplechase: T Bryant (Shaftesbury) 4:35.82. 100m hurdles: Flannery 13.73. 400m hurdles: Flannery 53.84 (meeting record). High jump: T Burnell (Gateshead) 1.85. Pole vault: T Parkin (Gateshead) 4.16. Long jump: N Fox (Shaftesbury) 6.72. Triple jump: K Onubogu (Shaftesbury) 13.98. Shot: D Gilder (Notts) 12.11. Discus: J Todman (Tonbridge) 35.97. Hammer: Gilder 51.82. Javelin: C Barton (Cannock) 52.85. 4x100m: Gateshead 45.12. 4x400m: Notts 3:32.27.

Under 17 girls – 100m: L Mason (Notts) 12.74. 200m: N Pearson (Gateshead) 25.42. 300m: Pearson 41.21. 800m: C Read (Cannock) 2:16.18. 1500m: C McAuley (Giffnock) 4:48.29. 3000m: M Brickell (Tonbridge) 11:10.25. 80m hurdles: L Welsh (Gateshead) 12.31. 300m hurdles: N Coffin (Tonbridge) 47.07. High jump: A Marchant (Leeds) 1.65 (equal meeting record). Pole vault: J Lawton (Gateshead) 2.71. Long jump: G Smith (Cannock) 5.11. Triple jump: J Attoh (Shaftesbury) 10.95. Shot: H Evenden (Leeds) 11.24. Discus: Evenden 37.26 (meeting record). Hammer: Evenden 36.68 (meeting record). Javelin: S Clague (Cannock) 28.03. 4x100m: Notts 50.68. 4x300m: Gateshead 2:53.54 (meeting record).

Under 15 boys – 100m: M Cumming (Giffnock) 11.72. 200m: Cumming 23.83. 400m: W Grist (Tonbridge) 54.43. 800m: R Goodman (Shaftesbury) 2:07.19. 1500m: M Wood (Leeds) 4:35.02. 80m hurdles: C Morten (Tonbridge) 12.85. High jump: M Kerr (Giffnock) 1.76. Pole vault: J Hallberg (Tonbridge) 3.11. Long jump: R Walker-Smart (Notts) 5.62. Shot: T Peacock (Shaftesbury) 13.99. Discus: J Armstrong (Leeds) 38.59. Hammer: J Bowser (Gateshead) 41.40. Javelin: A Pidgeon (Notts) 43.16. 4x100m: Shaftesbury 47.40. 4x400m:Giffnock North 3:45.79.

Under 15 girls – 100m: E Brown (Giffnock) 12.87. 200m: C Nwachukwu (Shaftesbury) 26.34. 800m: E Holmes (Tonbridge) 2:24.03. 1500m: S Connor (Shaftesbury) 4:48.86. 75m hurdles: K Marchant (Leeds) 11.59. High jump: Marchant 1.59. Long jump: J Read (Gateshead) 4.86. Shot: C Harrison (Gateshead) 10.44. Discus: L Regis (Tonbridge) 26.34. Javelin: R McIntyre (Gateshead) 27.22. 4x100m: Giffnock North 51.22.

Under 13 boys – 100m: J Raeburn (Shaftesbury) 12.66. 200m: Raeburn 26.49. 800m: M McLaughlin (Shaftesbury) 2:23.18. 1500m: F Harding (Tonbridge) 4:55.63. 75m hurdles: S Hall (Gateshead) 12.66 (meeting record). High jump: Hall 1.41. Long jump: M McGarvey (Derry) 4.51. Shot: C Harrison (Gateshead) 10.40. 4x100m: Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers 54.08.

Under 13 girls – 75m: G Abbott (Notts) 10.45. 150m: Abbott 21.01. 800m: P Marshall (Giffnock) 2:29.07. 1200m: J Bird (Cannock) 4:09.26. 70m hurdles: I Brooks (Notts) 11.82.

High jump: N Manson (Giffnock) 1.40. Long jump: J Leek (Cannock) 4.53. Shot: Abbott 7.67. 4x100m: Notts 55.68.

For the full results from the Auxiliary Final, please click here