Magical Megan Costello races to bronze to cap off fine season for Hartlepool youngster

The Dyke House Academy student, who has risen to prominence as a sprinter nationally with Gateshead Harriers in recent years, delivered to cap an already impressive campaign.

Not content with achieving her first goal of qualifying for the final, Costello put massive smiles on the faces of her family and coaches by earning a podium finish in Sheffield. She is now ranked tenth in the UK for the 60m.

Megan won her heat in a comfortable 7.95 seconds, easing up over the line. Her semi-final was loaded with some extremely fast girls, including Afoma Ofor.

She finished third just 0.01 seconds behind Afoma, and the Hartlepool runner faced an agonising wait to see if she had qualified for the final in one of the two fastest loser positions. She did.

It was the first time she had qualified for a UK National Final, but she wasn’t finished there.

Megan, 16-years-old, said: “I actually thought I’d finished fourth or fifth in the final and I had to wait for the results to be displayed to see if I had managed a new personal best.

“When the result was displayed all my family gave out a cheer when we saw I’d got a new personal best of 7.78 seconds, but there was an even bigger cheer when I realised I’d finished third. It was amazing.”

On the Sunday, with tired legs, Megan was strong again in a time of 26.05 seconds in the 200m, to record a new indoor personal best. In the semi final, she surpassed it again by recording 25.97 seconds.

Megan added: “It was a pretty amazing end to the indoor season, and I won’t be able to rest for long as the outdoor season starts in May. I have now set my heart on getting all the way to the finals at English Schools this year.”

Megan is a scholar on Dyke House’s Elite Development Squad Sport Scholarship Scheme and she had already enjoyed a fine few months.

At the North-East Counties Indoor Championships, over 60m, she cruised comfortably through her heats and semi-final. She was joined by her Cleveland Schools’ team-mate Ofor and won the final.

In mid-January, Megan was at the North of England Championships where she reached the final of the 60m and matched last year’s fourth spot.

In the 200m, she reached the semi-finals with tight hamstrings, all proving the ideal warm up for the English Nationals she excelled in.

As well as those, Megan was back at the Scottish National Indoor Championships she loves.

In the 60m final, the girls seeded above Megan picked up the pace, Megan’s Gateshead team-mate Joy Eze took gold in 7.64 seconds, setting a new championship record. Megan claimed bronze.