BEN Pattison has become the first British man to win a world 800m medal since 1987 after he secured bronze in the final at the World Athletics Championship in Budapest.

Congratulations for the 21-year-old from Hook have been flooding in following his win on August 26. 

 

 

British 400m runner Matthew Hudson-Smith, who won a silver medal at the championships, praised Pattison for his win, saying: “What a boy.”

Team GB described Pattison’s run as “an incredible breakthrough performance”.

Comedian Lee Hurst said he became emotional when Pattison won bronze and congratulated him on his achievement, saying: “Well done Ben Pattison.”

Following his win Pattison told BBC Sport: “I don’t know why you’re interviewing me, I can’t think of anything to say. I crossed the line and I feel like I’m going to wake up in a minute.

"All day I’ve had people telling me I’m going to medal and then halfway through the day I started to believe it.”

However, at one point in his career, Pattison feared he may never run again after being diagnosed with a potentially life-threatening heart condition.

He underwent successful surgery during the Covid pandemic, but could never have imagined that just three years later he would win a bronze medal in Budapest.

“I remember when I got told I was like: ‘Is this my running career done?’ he told BBC Sport.

Pattison was diagnosed with Wolff-Parkinson-White syndrome, which can cause an abnormally fast and irregular heartbeat.

Pattison clocked 1:44.83 in a sprint finish down the last 100m, becoming the first British male to win a world 800m medal since Peter Elliot in 1987.