Barnet middle distance runner Matt McLaughlin has been selected in the Great Britain & Northern Island side which will travel to the European Junior Championships in Italy later this month.

McLaughlin, 18, is currently the British Indoor 1500m junior record holder and will compete in Rieti alongside seven members of Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers.

Richard Charles, Steffi Wilson, Michael Callegari, Nick Percy, Gregory Thompson, Shadine Duquemin and Louisa James have all been selected and help make up the 58 athlete strong squad.

Harriers’ young athletes excelled at the English Schools Championships in Birmingham last weekend and returned from the event with four gold medals.

Sophia Parvizi-Wayne (Under-17) led the way in the 3000m as she took more than 12 seconds off her previous best time to claim first place in 10.00.73.

Duquemin (Under-20) sealed top spot in the 1kg discus with a throw of 47.92m, Callegari (Under-20) won the 3000m and Percy (Under-20) was victorious in the 1.75kg discus.

There were bronze medals for Lizzie Bird (Under-20) in the 1500m and Phillip Crout (Under-20) in the 3000m.

There was a triumphant return to action for David Stone as he put a six-month injury lay-off behind him to claim victory at the Eastern Young Athletes League meeting.

The 11-year-old Shaftesbury athlete, from Hendon, made his track debut in the 1500m Under-13 boys event and claimed an impressive victory in a time of 4.47.20.

It proved to be the fastest time at Under-11 level set this year and the 11th fastest at Under-13.