AFTER coming close a number of times, a Wylam teenager has claimed his first championship.

Representing second club Edinburgh AC, Tynedale Harrier Jonny Currie (19) claimed gold in the U20 800m at the Scottish Age Group Championships, at Grangemouth Stadium, Falkirk.

The current Birmingham University student has been a regular at the Scottish Champs for a number of years as he follows in the footsteps of Scottish father Alan, and he brought his participation in the junior sections at the championships to the best possible conclusion.

Breezing to success in his heat as the fastest qualifier in a time of 2:00.48, he built on the success by crossing the line in 1:59.25 to be crowned national champion.

He said: “The heat was quite an easy race so I didn’t have to exert myself, which was a good thing because the final was only four hours later and I wanted to make sure I saved myself for that.

”I was favourite on paper going into the final but we all know that championships don‘t always go as planned.

“But I knew I was in with a shout and I positioned myself well on the back straight, and I kicked home with 100m to go. I even had time to celebrate over the line!

“I was over the moon and buzzing to win, and I still am to be honest.

“I‘ve been quite close and unlucky in the past with a couple of silvers and bronzes, a handful of fourths, and I’ve even fallen over twice when in contention.

“It‘s my last junior up in Scotland before I move up to the seniors next year, so it was nice to finish with a win.”

Jonny followed up Sunday’s win by claiming first place in the B race at the British Milers Club event in Manchester on Tuesday, just 400th of a second of his PB of 1:52.81. The win gains selection for next year’s A race.

And he will go into the senior season full of confidence after a strong end to his junior participation.

He said: “I am hoping to progress, keep training hard and step it up a little, so I think there is still more to come.

“I came into the sport quite late as I was 15 or 16 when I started taking it seriously, so I have got to take it year on year and then we’ll see where we go from there.”

Jonny’s Tynedale teammate Max Pearson was also in the medals at the Championships as he won bronze in the U17 1500m.

Racing a year above, the Hexham teen qualified comfortably in fourth place in his heat to make the final. He struggled to maintain the early pace of 61 seconds for the first 400m and dropped back, until he started to catch the leaders towards the end to finish in third in 4:03.86.

Max is back in championship action this weekend as he heads to Bedford for the British U17 Championships.