STROUD AC coach Chris Brown insists Annie Testar’s gold on her English indoor debut will 'reverberate throughout athletics'.

The 15-year-old Stroud and District AC star romped home to win the U17s 800m at the English Sport Institute in Sheffield.

In the final, Annie faced a strong field, including the defending English champion.

The race started with the defending champion going to the front, but after a quick first 200m the pace reduced for the next two laps. At the bell Annie hit the front and ran away from the defending champion to win by an impressive four seconds, in the process breaking her own Stroud and District AC club indoor record by four seconds.

Coach Chris Brown said, “We saw something special from Annie in Sheffield on Saturday night, which is very encouraging for the future. The finishing time was moderate but the manner of Annie’s victory will reverberate throughout athletics.

“Over the last two weeks based upon her training I believed she would win in Sheffield, but converting training into racing is the tricky part. Annie is a natural front-runner, but she followed the plan and stayed back in the field until the bell and then delivered a phenomenal last 200m.”

TOM MORTIMER, who has another year in this age group won the U20 bronze medal against older competitors at the English National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill, London on Saturday.

Mortimer covered the 10k course in 32 minutes and 54 seconds.

The race was won my Mahamed, a GB Senior team member.