Bronson Hearn-Smith stepped in for a disqualified Ethan Heggarty to win 200m gold in a championship record 20.70, while Moyo Stumpenhusen added a third British title in Rieti with a UK U18 record 64.92m in the discus.

It was a night of heartbreak turned to triumph for Great Britain and Northern Ireland's sprint squad at the Stadio Raul Guidobaldi on Saturday (July 18), as Bronson Hearn-Smith struck 200m gold in a championship record of 20.70 just hours after team-mate Ethan Heggarty, the world U18 No.1 over the distance, was disqualified from his semi-final for a lane violation.

Heggarty had smashed the championship record with 20.77 in Thursday's heats to back up a personal best of 20.51, making him the fastest U18 sprinter on the planet this year. But his campaign was cut short when officials ruled he had stepped out of his lane during the semi-final, a decision that denied the Bingley Harrier a shot at the title.

It fell to Hearn-Smith, Britain's No.2 over the distance, to pick up the mantle — and the Colchester Harrier, who is coached by Stephen Garnham, did so in emphatic fashion. Running from lane eight, Hearn-Smith glided round the bend and powered down the home straight to smash his own personal best of 20.95 by a quarter of a second, crossing the line in 20.70 to take gold ahead of Poland's Bartosz Pytlik and Spain's Iker Pineira.

“It still has not kicked in,” Hearn-Smith told European Athletics. “I am over the moon and I have no words. A couple of months ago I was not sure I would make it to Rieti at all. And here it was a bit of a rollercoaster because in the heats the heat struck me.

“But I went into the semi-finals a completely new person, composed. And tonight at the start line I knew I was going to do something great. Yet I am more surprised than everyone else about what I achieved.

“I guess what helped me was the heat, the pressure of an international competition, working hard to get my head down and to run my own race. Being here in Rieti is my first time abroad and I want more of that.”

There was still more for Great Britain to celebrate on a bumper evening in the field, where Moyo Stumpenhusen delivered in the men's discus. The Rugby & Northampton AC athlete, who is coached by Gary Herrington, had arrived in Rieti as the in-form thrower in Europe and he threw a UK record of 64.92m to take gold — comfortably his best throw of the season and a mark that eclipsed his previous best of 64.14m set before the championships.

It is Britain's best result in the event at a European age-group level since Lawrence Okoye won the European U23 discus title in 2011 – an achievement that acted as a springboard for him to make the Olympic final 12 months later in London.

Stumpenhusen said: "“I’m ecstatic, I’m over the moon, a PB. It’s a great feeling, an amazing feeling. Myself as team captain it’s important for me to be there for there for the other athletes but the second aspect for me is putting out a performance out as well.”

Elsewhere, Magnus Riddell earned men’s 800m bronze in 1:50.12, just aheaed of GB team-mate Charlie Chambers, who finished fourth in 1:50.38.

Holly Ryan and Shaiya Kenion finished fifth and eighth in the women’s 200m final, with Noa Chodokufa fifth in the women’s 400m final.

Lucas Cameron ran a strong race in the men’s 400m final, finishing seventh in 47.92.

With Sunday's closing session set to bring the championships to an end, Great Britain and Northern Ireland head into the final day at the top of the medals table with five golds courtesy of Hearn-Smith and Stumpenhusen, plus Divine Iheme in the 100m, Joe Scanes in the 3000m and Sam James in the high jump.