Canterbury schoolgirl Charlotte Henrich is the European Under-18 400m champion - and she still can’t believe it.

Henrich stunned the field at Jerusalem 2022 to win gold despite being only 15 and a virtual rookie over the distance.

The Invicta East Kent athlete took part in her first-ever 400m race in June and a week later surprised herself by qualifying for the European Championships with a time of 54.54sec for second place at the Bedford Sprints Invitational.

If that was an unlikely tale of success, Henrich, who’s just completed her GCSEs at Simon Langton Girls’ Grammar School, defied logic with what happened next as a trio of personal bests to led to European glory.

“I can’t believe it myself,” said Henrich. “When I crossed the line I knew I was first or second but I still couldn’t believe I came first. I was like, ‘What? Did they actually happen?’”

In the extreme heat of Jerusalem, and making her international debut, Henrich won her heat in 54.19 before finishing second to favourite Lurdes Gloria Manuel - the fastest under-18 in Europe this year - in the semis.

She didn’t think she could possibly better her semi-final time of 53.81 but better was to follow when she powered through the final 50m to pip Manuel in the final with a time of 53.54.

Her winning time was the third fastest by a British under-17 girl in history.

“I’d only done two 400s so I didn’t think I’d even qualify for the Europeans, let alone win,” said Henrich.

“That was insane and then it sunk in a bit when I got the kit that I was actually going.

“We arrived and I was like, ‘What do I actually want to do here?’ I checked everyone’s times and at first it was, ‘OK, I’m going to try and get into the semi-finals’ and then I did that and it was, ‘OK, let’s try and get in the final, let’s see what happens, I won’t be too disappointed if I don’t.’

And then I got to the final and I was like, ‘OK, this is fun!’

“Manuel was the big favourite and after the semi-final I didn’t think I could run it any faster but somehow I did.

“I was so nervous, I was trying to calm myself down before the race, telling myself I’m only 15, it doesn’t really matter what I do here.

“You have to relax in a 400m, you don’t want to panic and run the first 200m too quick.

“I paced it well and somehow I had some more in me and I just went for it.

“I was happy with my time and then I found it was the third fastest under-17 of all-time - it’s mad.”

Henrich has been a member of Invicta East Kent for five years, where her main coach is Carlo Monticolombi.

He’s been a big help to the teenager, who plans to stick with the 400m in future.

“I wasn’t doing much for the first two years but I’ve been with my coach properly for three years now,” said Henrich.

“Obviously I’d like to go as far as I can, but I’ll see what happens and you just have to go with it.

“I didn’t realise this was going to happen, I just have to take it step by step, I guess, but the whole experience was amazing.” Coaches, athletes and family members tuned in to watch the final and were thrilled for Henrich.

Monticolombi and Claire Battersby, another of her coaches, said: “We are so unbelievably proud of Charlotte’s achievements. She is very new to 400m racing and she has really taken it in her stride.

“It’s her first international competition and she was nervous going into it and we were all just so delighted she had been selected.

“She showed such confidence and impressed us how she responded to the pressure at such a high level throughout the competition – showing a real maturity way beyond her years.

“She has an amazing attitude to training, running, and life, she is a joy to be around, and lets nothing faze her.

"We will be re-watching that final for many years to come – it was absolutely outstanding. The support of her training partners has been exceptional and she really is an inspiration to them all.”