NIALL Flannery insists he has just one thing on his mind this summer – redressing the international balance at July’s World Junior Championships.

The 19-year-old hurdler suffered heartache last year, snatching defeat from the jaws of victory in the 400m hurdles final at the European Junior Championships in Serbia.

Flannery, a clear favourite for gold heading to Novi-Sad, clipped the penultimate hurdle while leading and fell from first to fourth, with Germany’s Tobias Giehl taking gold.

A lot has changed since, with Flannery’s move to Loughborough University paving the way for warm-weather training in America and 400m hurdles gold at the British Universities Championships in Bedford last weekend.

And the Gateshead Harrier admits the only thing that matters this year is qualifying for July’s World Junior Championships in Canada and finishing on the top step of the podium.

“The only definite target I have is running 51.50secs, which is the qualifying standard for the World Junior Championships,” said Flannery, who finished 2009 as the third fastest European with a personal best of 51.07.

“I ran that last year so hopefully I will be able to do it again easily this season.

“Qualifying for the world juniors is the main aim and once I am there hopefully I can rise to the occasion and get among the medals.

“I know a few of my rivals from the Europeans juniors last year have moved up an age group to the under-23s but Tobias will still be there so it would be nice to get my own back and beat him.

“Going to BUCS was a new experience but a nice one and to come away with gold was a big confidence boost.”

Flannery will continue to be supported by the UKA Heroes Project, sponsored by Original Source this year, having lifted the Heroes Hero prize last year alongside wheelchair racer Dan Lucker.

The Cullercoats teenager is also benefiting from support from world 4x400m relay silver medallist Martyn Rooney and two-time former European Indoor champion David Gillick at his new base in Loughborough.

While admitting it took some time to get used to his move to the East Midlands, Flannery is adamant he will take steps forward, not backwards, this year.

“There is a different environment and different style of training at Loughborough but I feel like everything has gone really well,” he added.

“Going to America was a great experience and it was really good to be living and training with full-time Loughborough athletes out there.

“It is a different world to people like me, who have to juggle work and training.

“I have had to get used to that this year.

“ University is completely different to A-levels because you’re living away from home doing everything for yourself.”

■ UKA Heroes project sponsored by Original Source is a successful initiative which offers financial support to talented young athletes who are working towards the 2012 and 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.