LEE MERRIEN recovered from a below-par outing in Belgium last weekend to land a shock bronze medal in the 3,000m at the televised European Trials and UK Championships in Sheffield. In a high-class race the Guernsey athlete shattered his personal best and island indoor record to hold off a late charge by Ireland’s Mark Christie and snatch an unlikely podium place by two-hundredths of a second in 8-06.86.

‘It hasn’t really sunk in yet, but it’s got to be right up there with my best performances,’ said an elated Merrien.

‘I’m really pleased to win a national medal. It is what I have always wanted.’

The performance was all the sweeter for being unexpected and the Guernsey athlete said he entered the race low on confidence.

He was disappointed to finish runner-up to Adam Bowden at the South of England Championships last month while a poor performance in Ghent, Belgium, last weekend, in which Merrien ran 8-09.30, left him feeling frustrated.

‘My confidence was knocked in Ghent last week,’ he admitted.

However, he shrugged off the blow to run a well-timed tactical race at the EIS centre in Sheffield and land a precious medal.

European cross- country champion Mo Farah and Great Britain international Nick McCormick predictably raced to the front of the final and, although Merrien initially went with the pace, he wisely decided to ease back and joined the group chasing the bronze.

Midway during the race he gave supporters a scare by drifting five metres back from the chasers, but he refused to panic and with three laps to go was energised.

‘The wheels had really fallen off in previous races and I was dying a bit but I didn’t think my chance of a medal had gone,’ said Merrien, 27.

‘I ran into third with 200m to go and felt really strong. I couldn’t really see who was behind me but I know just before the finish I felt someone dive for the line and I just held on.’

Up ahead, Farah of Newham and Essex Beagles took the gold medal in 7-50.86 with McCormick, of Morpeth Harriers securing second in 8:01.35.

Merrien now moves on to compete in the ‘Devil Take the Hindmost’ one mile race at the Norwich Union Grand Prix at Birmingham on Saturday.

The novelty race, which also features Farah, will see the back marker removed from the race on each lap.