ERME Valley Harriers’ Will Battershill will make his Great Britain Under-20 debut at the inaugural Manchester International meeting.

The competition, which takes place next Wednesday (August 17), will see the GB Under-20 team take on England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, a combined British Athletics League/UK Women’s League team and the Armed Forces.

Battershill will take part in the 2,000m steeplechase – the event he won at July’s English Schools’ Track and Field Championships and also the one he ran at last year’s IAAF World Youth Championships in Columba.

After the meet, the 18-year-old will prepare to move to America, where he is to take up a place at one of the world’s top universities, Harvard.

As well as studying at the Ivy League establishment, Battershill will also join their track and field roster and work with middle distance specialist coach Jason Saretsky.

Saretsky said: “I’m looking forward to working with Will. He just ran 9:06 for the 3k steeple, a time that would have scored at the most recent outdoor Heps (Ivy League Heptagonal Championships).

“He is a gritty competitor and has a real passion for the sport. He is going to be a great addition to our distance squad.”