Hazel grabs gold for Team GB in Poland

The 20-year-old went in the heat as GB finished second to the German quartet in a time of 3.06.20mins.

However, it was a different story in the final as Hazel, coached by Jane Dixon, along with Lee Thompson, Ben Snaith and Cameron Chalmers, managed a season’s best of 3.03.65mins to beat Poland and France.

The former Bushmead pupil, who was on the books of Luton Town as a youngster before concentrating on athletics, now runs for Shaftesbury Barnet, while studying Sports Science at Middlesex University.

After an injury hit season last year, he has bounced back with aplomb, as in the British Universities & Colleges Sport Championships held in Bedford last month, he won his heat in 49.77secs, and came second in the semi-final in 48.00secs.

Although he then ran his best time of 47.69secs in the final, he was placed fifth.

Hazel came third in the British Athletic Championships held in Birmingham, in a time of 47.54secs.

He also set his PB earlier this year, racing to 46.98secs in the England Athletics U20/U23 Championships in Bedford.