Madrid: British sprint hope Adam Gemili clocked a personal best of 10.05 seconds to win the World Junior 100 metres title in Barcelona late on Wednesday.
The 18-year-old former footballer’s time was a personal best and the second fastest run by a European athlete this year after the 10.04 clocked by France’s Christophe Lemaitre in Rome in May.
Gemili came home 0.12 ahead of Aaron Ernest from the United States while Jamaica’s Odean Skeen came third in a time of 10.28.
The Londoner, who has emerged onto the international scene in the last few months, has already made the British Olympic team for the 100 metres and the 4x100 metres relay.
Gemili, who was playing lower-league football in England as recently as November, said the Barcelona time would boost his confidence for the London Olympics.
“I want to thank my mum, my dad, my sister, my coach, my training group and the whole of the GB team, the support they have given me is amazing, especially in the last few days,” he said.
“I just told myself to stay relaxed and stay focused. I am not going to lie, I was nervous before the race, it’s a World Junior final, it’s in this stadium in Barcelona, how can you not be nervous?
“This is a massive stepping stone for the Olympics. If I had only made the final, it would have been a great achievement, to win makes it huge.”
Asked if he thought he could produce a sub-10 second time in London, Gemili added: “I honestly do not know. I am feeling good and I am running well, I just feel there is a whole lot more to come.”
