Ben Pattison can be forgiven for staring in wide-eyed disbelief after crossing the line to claim Britain’s first world championships medal in the men’s 800m since Peter Elliott in 1987. After all, three years ago, surgeons had to burn off some of his heart because it would race at over 240 beats a minute while training.
But on sizzling hot night in Budapest the 21-year-old from Frimley in Surrey was coolness personified as he held off a chasing pack to win bronze in 1min 44.83sec.
