DAN Brooks of Richmond and Zetland Harriers proved himself a true all-rounder when he produced a superb performance to become the world junior double decathlon champion after two days of energy-sapping competition at Wentworth Park, Hexham.
Competing in a high-class field which included reigning senior world champion Damien Passalaqua of the United States and athletes from Germany and Finland, he also broke the British record after finishing eighth overall with 9,030 points from the 20 events.
The 18-year-old, who is studying for a HND in leisure management and sports studies at Sheffield Hallam University, began with a time of 12.93 seconds in the 100m, then jumped 4.99m in the long jump. He then ran 30.60 in the 200m and followed that with a throw of 7.71m in the shot putt.
In the 5,000m, Brooks finished in 17.28.95 and ran 2.13.81 in the 800m before clearing 1.38m in the high jump. Next he completed the 400m in 56.57, threw the hammer 17.57m and ran the 3,000m steeplechase in 11.23.77 to finish the first day leading the junior championship and sixth overall with 4,739 points.
He began the second day with a time of 20.96 in the 110m hurdles, then threw the discus 18.40m and recorded 26.18 in the 200m. He then cleared 2.12m in the pole vault and ran 10.14.40 in the 3,000m.
Brooks came home in 64.05 in the 400m hurdles and threw 21.82m in the javelin before running 4.45.35 in the 1500m and recording 9.46m in the triple jump as heavy rain and darkness fell.
In the final event, a gruelling 25 laps of the track in the 10,000m, Brooks finished second under the floodlights in 38.56.2, just over a lap ahead of his father, Mike Brooks.
Overall result: 1 John Heanley (GB) 12,427 pts; 2 Damien Passalaqua (USA) 11,715; 3 Peter Coates (GB) 11,469; 4 Michael Hutchinson (GB) 11,407; 8 & world junior champion Dan Brooks 9,030.
Meanwhile, Kim Bartram of Richmond and Zetland Harriers followed up last year's third place in the U15 girls pentathlon with fourth place in the U17 girls heptathlon
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