WORCESTERSHIRE athlete Oliver McNeillis won the senior boys' long jump at the prestigious ESAA Sainsbury's Track and Field Championships in Gateshead.

A leap of 7.10 metres was enough for McNeillis to clinch victory, exceeding the national standard.

But the jump was still 40 centimetres short of the 18-year-old's personal best.

The win meant a third consecutive ESAA title for the Haybridge High School, Hagley, pupil.

McNeillis also holds the AAA Junior title and has his sights set on competing at the World Junior Championships in Beijing next month.

He said: "I didn't perform as well as I could but I did just enough to win. I only put one good jump in but I think everyone else was having a bad day as well.

"I was hoping to get the world junior qualifying standard of 7.55m but didn't this time, but I think reaching that distance won't be a problem this season."

The championships are the pinnacle of the English schools sporting calendar with ex-winners including Kelly Holmes, Paula Radcliffe, Denise Lewis, Jonathan Edwards and Seb Coe.

Olympic legend Daley Thompson added his praise for McNeillis.

Thompson said: "The overall impression is that there is plenty of talent out there at schools level and Oliver is one of those who impressed.

"This bodes well for the future of athletics in this country up to the 2012 Olympics and beyond."