European Masters Indoor relay gold for Maids Moreton's Paul Canning

Maids Moreton’s Paul Canning, who runs for Marshal Milton Keynes AC won gold at the European Master Athletics Indoor Championships in Braga, Portugal with the GB & NI 4x200m relay team, in 1-43.72, ahead of Spain and France.

He was also 4th in the M55 200m final in 25.60s and 7th in the 60m final in 7.80s.

He tops this year’s GB national rankings with 7.71s and 25.04s both set in Sheffield in early February.

“I started competing 10 years ago with my son Liam, and only started to take it more seriously at the age of 50," said Canning, 55, whose current indoor world ranking is 7th for the 60m and 6th for the 200m.

"With help of two talented athletic coaches from Marshall Milton Keynes AC, Mike Leonard and David Millett we have been able improve my speed and sprinting technique enabling progress up the national and international rankings."

In this time he has won over 25 national GB&NI and South of England medals, at both indoor and outdoor championships, across a range of events from 60m, 100m and 200m to Triple Jump and 100m and 400 hurdles.

"Our plan, subject to injury (which at my age is always a worry!) Is now to focus on the outdoor season, with two major events this year," he explained. "We have the GB& NI championships on June 11-12, here my focus is the 100m, 200m, and Triple Jump. Followed by the World Master Athletics Championship in Tampere, Finland when I intend to compete in the 200m.”