ROBBIE Schofield is the English Under 20 800m champion - and now needs to knock less than half a second off his time to qualify for the European Junior Athletics Championships in Serbia.

The 18-year-old Accrington racer took part in the England Athletics Aviva Under 20 Championships in Bedford over the weekend which double up as the European trials.

And despite racing to glory in one minute 49.82 seconds , he still has to knock 0.32 off his time to pass the Euro qualifying time of 1.49.5.

"When he crossed the line there was elation but then there was disappointment that he hadn’t got the time," said his coach Don Lennon.

"It does seem a shame that he is English Under 20 champion and won the trials but they have said he has to go out and run 1.49.5 before the European squad is named on July 13, otherwise he won’t be selected.

"Unfortunately you have to have the time and it is not all about the trials so it is in the lap of the selectors.

"It is agony being just 0.32 off the time but Robbie is running in the English Schools Championships in Sheffield on July 11 and I am confident he can do it."

It’s a different scenario for fellow Accrington athlete Leigh Lennon who has got the 800m qualifying time to reach Serbia on July 23 - but didn’t finish in the top three at Bedford.

The 18-year-old, who taking a beauty course at Accrington and Rossendale College, has got the qualifying time of two minutes and six seconds but wasn’t well at the weekend.

But she did have Dame Kelly Holmes championing her cause as the double Olympic champion spoke to the selectors on her behalf although Leigh too will compete at the English Schools to show she has what it takes.

"Leigh wasn’t well - she had a virus and wasn’t 100 per cent," said her coach and dad Don.

"But she still reached Sunday’s final and finished in fifth place in 2.09.

"Kelly Holmes spoke to the selectors and they have said she has got to win the English Schools 800m convincingly and then she stands a good chance of being selected when the decisions are made on July 13.

"They have given her a stay of execution because she wasn’t well and she was upset she couldn’t show her best on the day.

"Kelly came to Leigh as soon as she crossed the line. She has said in the past that Leigh is one of the most talented runners she has come across and reassured her that these things happen and Leigh has taken heart from that.

"Now we will regroup and she has to prove she deserves a place at the European Junior Championships which I am sure she will."

The English Schools Championship are shown live on Sky on Saturday July 11 at 2pm.