Rising Team GB star Jake Odey-Jordan learned the hard way of easing up early after suffering an embarrassing error in the 200m.

The 16-year-old looked to be cruising to victory in his heat at the European Athletics U18 Championships as he raced clear of his rivals at Slovakia’s Banska Bystrica on Friday.

Thinking his place in the next round was secure, the teenager – one of the favourites to win the gold in the 200m – pulled up in the closing stages.

It was a decision that backfired spectacularly, as he was overtaken by Bram Persson, Samuel Kaerhog and Mathieu Gabioud to see him finish fourth with a time of 22:12 seconds.

Expressing his shock at what he had just witnessed, a British commentator said: “What’s happened here? What has gone wrong there?

This is going to be a lesson learned the very, very hard way – after what was, for the first 150m, a masterful display of sprinting.

“Jake Odey-Jordan easing up way, way, way too early and they all came past.”

As a result of his misjudgement, he was eliminated from the competition in brutal fashion – something he has vowed to learn from.

It is what it is. It felt good. It was not the fastest run, but it felt good. For sure, it could have been sub 21. But it is all good though.