The country's best junior athletes headed down to Bedford for the annual National U23/U20 Championships, each with their own goal. These goals varied from a place in the final, a medal, or for the elite few, a performance worthy enough to secure a slot in either the British World U18 Youth and European U20 and U23 teams in what is a summer packed full of Junior international opportunities.

Highlights from a Stoke AC perspective saw Pole vaulters Katie Dennison and Steven Lewis secure their places in the British teams for the European Junior and World Youth Championships, and hurdlers David Brackstone and Nicholas Gayle medal over a weekend that what was a extremely positive example of the strength in depth of talent throughout the various disciplines in the junior age groups.

Dennison entered the championships as UK record holder and defending champion, and with a personal best 20cm superior to her nearest rival, she arrived at Bedford as one of the hottest favourites of the weekend. With such an impressive résumé comes expectation, and therefore pressure.

Dennison held her nerve to ensure the event went to the form guide, comfortably defending her title with a vault of 3.75. Having already achieved the UK A entry standard for the event prior to these championships, by winning she automatically confirmed her place in the team for the European U20 Championships in Tampere, Finland at the end of July.

17 year old Steven Lewis made it a double celebration for the club and the duos coach Dave Young, by sealing a place on the flight to Canada for the World Youth Championships. After an impressive indoor campaign that saw him clear 4.85 and place second in the indoor equivalent of theses championships, the 4.95 required for a place in the Great Britain squad was a realistic summer target.

The usually extremely consistent Lewis though has started the season rather sluggishly and up to the middle of June, had a seasons best of 4.60. Then just seven days prior to Bedford, Lewis and training partner Dennison were fortunate enough to be selected for a meet in Mannheim, Germany. The event, the DLV Juniorengala, is renown for show casing the best European Junior talent on show, so an invite itself would have been a sufficient confidence booster. At the meet Lewis put all of his early season woes behind him to take victory in a new personal best of 4.90.

Lewis arrived at Bedford with his self belief back in tack, knowing that he required just 5cm more to go to Canada, but also the fact that this was his final opportunity to impress the selectors.

Despite the enormity of the situation Lewis achieved the entry standard, and also bagged a bronze medal in an enthralling contest in which just 5cm separated the first three, as Mark Christie (Sale Harriers Manchester) took victory from Chris Treyemane (Cannock & Staffs) who both cleared 5.00.

Dave Brackstone, who had already tasted success at Bedford right at the beginning of the season when claiming silver over the 400m at the British Universities Championships, again took away the same colour medal, this time over the U23 men’s 400m hurdles.

After easing through his heat, he was surrounded by quality opposition in the shape of last years World Junior 4^th placer Steven Green (Cornwall), Robert Smith (Newham & Essex Beagles) who had defeated Brackstone to the Senior North of England title just seven days earlier, and Pieter Koekemoer (Blackheath & Bromley) who looked extremely comfortable clocking the fastest time in the heats, posting an impressive 52.02.

In the final while medals took priority, all knew that they had to run 51.10 or faster in order to be considered for selection for the European U23 Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland. Green, who was the fastest on paper set off determined to give it his best shot and was the first to the opening hurdle. This was a format that Green continued for the remainder of the race ahead of Brackstone and co, to take victory in 51.13, 0.03 shy of the required entry standard.

The battle for second saw Brackstone, Koekemoer and Smith all in contention over the final 100m, with Brackstone finishing the strongest snatching Silver by 0.05 from the fading Koekemoer as he dipped below 52 seconds for the first time, lowering his club record to 51.81.

Over the shorter hurdles Nicholas Gayle took third in the U20 men’s event. Heading into the championship Gayle was fourth on paper, and therefore scheduled to finish in the worst possible position. Championship races rarely go to the form guide though.

Capitalising on the confidence obtained when claiming the Midland Senior title the weekend before, Gayle looked equally as comfortable as the current U.K number 1 Richard Hughes (Sheffield) when placing just 0.09 behind him in the opening heat to secure a place in the final.

In the final Hughes found his main opposition to be William Sharman (Corby). The two both led from the first hurdle and it was only in the final closing few strides that the defending champion Hughes retained his title battle by 0.02. Gayle again reduced her personal best to 14.95, and upset the form guide to take the bronze medal.

Heat 1
8. Matthew Jones 3.57.78

Heat 2 (-2.5)
8. Rodger Skedd 18.43 (fell over)

Heat 2
3. David Brackstone 53.94

Final
2. Brackstone 51.81

Heat 1 (0.0)
3. Rachel Redmond 12.22

Final (-0.5)
7. Redmond 12.23

Heat 1 (-1.2)
2. Nicholas Gayle 15.02

Final (-1.8)
3. Gayle 14.95

Pole Vault

3. Steven Lewis 4.95

12. Rob Eggleton 49.91

1. Kate Dennison 3.75

Full results from the championships can be found at http://www.englandathletics.org/docs/AAA_u23_U20_2003.pdf

A list of the initial selection of athletes set to represent Great Britain at the European Junior Championships in Tampere, Finland can be found at www.ukathletics.net/

A complete list of those selected to represent Great Britain at the World Youth Championships in Sherbrooke, Canada can be found at www.ukathletics.net