Andrew Lemoncello (Fife AC) was an impressive victor of the men’s 3000m steeplechase at the Norwich Union World Trials and UK Championships at the Manchester Regional Arena on Friday 27 July.

The 24-year-old Scot is spending the summer working as a waiter at a hotel in St Andrews which this week played host to the stars of Barcelona FC, who are in Scotland as part of their pre-season preparations. He was unable to train in the field he sometimes uses as the likes of Henry and Ronaldinho honed their ball skills.

Despite that, it didn’t prevent Lemoncello demonstrating he has a decent kick of his own at a windy Regional Arena as he pulled away from the field in effortless style with 600m to go, clocking 8:42.57, leaving Jermaine Mays (Kent AC) and Luke Gunn (Derby AC) to pick up the minor medals.

Lemoncello has already banked the A qualifying standard for the IAAF World Championships with a time of 8:23.74 and looks certain to be named in the Norwich Union GB & NI team for Osaka when it is named team on Tuesday.

“I really had to get one of the two (automatic) slots.” He said. “I thought I’d just wait until 600m to go as I knew I had the leg speed in me.” But it didn’t prevent him

Two other UK Championship gold medals were also decided, with Nadia Williams (Shaftesbury Barnet) winning the women’s triple jump and Nick Nieland (Shaftesbury Barnet) victorious in the men’s javelin.

Williams produced a consistent series, with her best effort coming in the second round with 13.58m, just 1cm shy of her season’s best. Rebecca White (Sale Harriers Manchester) grabbed silver with a PB of 13.17, with Gillian Kerr (City of Edinburgh) taking bronze with 12.88m.

Nieland’s opening round throw of 73.95m was enough for his fourth national title. Neil McLellan (Stevenage AC) and Mervyn Luckwell (Marshall Milton Keynes) completed the podium places with 73.62m and 72.05m respectively.

The remainder of the evening’s action was in the heats phase…

In the men’s 400m, Robert Tobin (Basingstoke), Martyn Rooney (Croydon Harriers), Richard Buck (City of York), Andrew Steele (Trafford) and Conrad Williams (Kent AC) progressed as the five heats winners to lead the qualifiers towards Saturday’s semifinals.

In the women’s 400m, Donna Fraser (Croydon Harriers), Kim Wall (Basildon) and Nicola Sanders (Windsor, Slough, Eton & Hounslow) won through to Saturday’s final as heat winners. 

In the men’s 400m hurdles, Dale Garland (Birchfield Harriers) qualified fastest for Saturday’s final, winning heat 3 in 51.01.  European U23 champion David Greene (Swansea Harriers) was a late withdrawal.

In the men’s 800m, Michael Rimmer (Liverpool Pemboke & Sefton), who heads the Power of 10 lists, was a comfortable qualifier for Saturday’s final after winning his heat in fine style. Michael Coltherd (Trafford), Darren St Clair (Enfield & Haringey) and Richard Hill (Notts AC) were the other heat winners.

In the women’s 1500m, European Junior silver medallist Steph Twell (Aldershot, Farnham & District) was an impressive heat winner from Becky Lyne (Hallamshire Harriers). The final takes place on Saturday.

For full results, click here.