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Hurdler Niall Flannery has vowed not to disappear into the background at Loughborough University after making the full-time switch to the prestigious sports development centre to train and study.

Despite suffering heartache at the European Junior Championships in Serbia in July Flannery has enjoyed a breakthrough year to date, lowering his personal best by nearly a second-and-a-half.

The 18-year-old travelled to Novi Sad ranked the second fastest 400m hurdler in Europe after posting a best time of 51.07 seconds at the trials in June but hit the penultimate hurdle and fell from first to fourth.

Initially disappointed, Flannery looks back positively on his season and has begun switching coaches from Jared Deacon to Nick Dakin director of coaching at Loughborough.

Loughborough houses the likes of the world silver medallist Lisa Dobriskey and European Under-23 100m champion Harry Aikines-Aryeetey but Flannery insists he isn't worried about the move.

"It is going to be an important time for me now having made the switch and starting at university but I am confident I can do just as well," said Flannery.

"I am still going to do some work with Jared but I will work more with Nick now. But even though it is a change it shouldn't be too bad because the two coaches have been talking to each other for quite a few months now.

"They have spoken about the different training plans I have been doing and what sort of person I am and things so it should be fine.

"It could be a bit of a worry changing coaches but Nick has had some good results with people in the past and I am confident it can work well for me."

Flannery's efforts at the European Junior Championships were made all the more frustrating as he matched the same result he recorded during his British debut at the European Youth Olympic Festival in 2007.

However with the World Junior Championships in Canada Flannery's next target the Gateshead Harrier believes finishing fourth in Serbia will come as a blessing in disguise should he make the British team again.

"Looking back on last year I achieved a lot more than I thought I would so I have to be happy, added Flannery.

"Finishing fourth was a massive setback for me but once I had spoken to my coaches and sorted my head out I looked back on it in a lot more positively and tried to move on.

"The big goal for next year now is the World Juniors and to hopefully get on the podium there."

More than the Games / Eurosport