WESTCLIFF-based Richard Morrissey has broken a Havering Mayesbrook Athletics Club record which had been standing for 30 years.

The 19-year-old, who is a former Southend High School for Boys pupil, run 48.35 seconds in the 400m at the Southern Championships to win a silver medal at Crystal Palace. And he was thrilled by his performance.

“It’s nice to get a medal at a big competition,” said Morrissey.

“I’m now waiting to see whether I get picked for the Great Britain under 20 4X400m relay team and get the chance to run in Canada or Germany’’.

Morrissey was awarded a Sports Exhibition to Cheltenham College and he is currently on a gap year.

He has previously run over the shorter distances of 100m and 200m and enjoyed much success.

He was Gloucestershire Schools Champion in 2008 and 2009 and South West Schools Champion in the same years.

In 2009, he was a finalist in the 100m at the English Schools Championships in Sheffield, where he came sixth.

But he was disappointed by that performance, so his coach at Cheltenham College suggested he try 400m. He entered and won the Dartford Open 400m and has not looked back.

He joined Havering Mayesbrook last year after he left Cheltenham College and competes regularly for the club in the National Junior League and the BAL National Division Three.

He won Athlete of the Match at the Braintree Junior League meeting earlier in the season and received an honourable mention at the National Division Three meeting at Hendon.

His next event is a Junior League meeting at Bedford on Sunday.