Callum Wilkinson produced the performance of his life to be crowned a world champion over the weekend.

Suffolk athlete Wilkinson, competing for Great Britain in the 10K race walk at the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszcz, Poland, exceeded all expectations to win gold with a superb display on Saturday.

The 19-year-old from Moulton, near Newmarket, surged to gold in a new UK junior record of 40mins 41.62secs.

That was nearly a minute faster than his 41:34.63 landmark (previous national junior record) from last year’s European Junior Championships, where he finished seventh in Sweden.

Wilkinson led from the two-kilometre mark, on his way to winning Great Britain’s first gold medal at these championships. He stood proudly on top of the podium as the national anthem was played for the first time.

“I can’t believe I did it,” insisted an ecstatic Wilkinson following his wonderful victory.

“I knew I could, but I can’t believe it. I’m just in shock. It’s everything I wanted this year.

“Every lap of the track made me more and more confident,” added Wilkinson.

See Monday’s ‘East Anglian Daily Times’ for an in depth report on Callum Wilkinson’s superb achievement