Southend's teenage sporting superstar Adam Hickey made a tremendous start to his Great Britain international athletics career in Germany yesterday to earn a bronze medal.

The 16-year-old Southend High School pupil Hickey had stepped up an age group from under-16 to under-20 at the Parliament Hill Fields, London, trials to earn a place in the junior men's team for the Spar European Cross-Country Championships.

And despite being up against a class field around the 100 mark, most of whom were two or three years older than him, Hickey finished in 10th place.

The Southend AC athlete was second Briton home and helped the team to third place.