TOM SOMERS is on course for the World Junior Athletics Championships after beating a quality field at the Loughborough International.

The 17-year-old City of York Athletic club sprinter won the senior 200 metres ‘A’ race in a time of 20.86 seconds, with the second-placed runner clocking 21.19 seconds.

That time - only two-hundredths of a second outside his personal best - gave Queen Ethelburga’s pupil the qualifying time for the World Juniors in Eugene in the United States in July.

Coach Geoff Barraclough said: “It was his first international of the year and to run so close to his personal best at this stage of the season is damn good going. He was up against the seniors and won it by quite a distance.”

Fellow City of York athlete Scott Lincoln, throwing for England, was sixth in the shot put with a throw of 16.67 metres.

Two further City of York youngsters attended as guests, with Katy Wood finishing sixth in the 3,000 metres and Chelsea Walker claiming third place in the 400 metres hurdles in 62.3 seconds.