The 17-year-old, of Stainsborough Road, shunned the chance of a medal at the English Schools Championships to tackle the cream of senior athletes at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium.

The three-day meet was the national championships but doubled up as the main selection event for the Olympics, which start in Beijing, China in three weeks.

Warner was competing on the same stage as Hucknall Olympian Andy Turner, who stormed through to win the 110m hurdles.

Sadly Warner couldn't mirror that success and went out in the heats of the 400m. But he certainly wasn't outclassed.

For he finished fifth of eighth in a time of 48.81 seconds, behind Robert Tobin, who went on to finish second overall.

Warner, who is one of the best young athletes in the country, has ambitions of challenging for honours at the London Olympics in 2012.
And this first appearance at the senior national championships was seen as a crucial step in his progression.

Since breaking his leg while playing football in 2004, he has landed junior medals galore, including golds in the 200m, 400m and 4x100m relay in the under-20s' age-group at this year's Nottinghamshire AAA Championships.

Last year, Warner won the intermediate 400m boys' event at the English Schools.

But he said: "I decided not to compete this year because I thought I would gain more experience at Birmingham.

"I achieved the qualification time of 48.4 seconds, as I have run 48.1, and I decided to enter because of that.

"I was a bit disappointed with my time. I wouldn't have minded not qualifying if the time had been quicker. But the conditions weren't easy because the weather was windy and drizzly."

Warner, who is studying A-levels in the sixth-form at Hucknall's Holgate Comprehensive School, has already represented England.

He is also on the shortlist for selection to compete for his country in the Junior Commonwealth Games in India later this year.