It’s not often that four world record-holders in any given event are in the same room at the same time, but when it happens it is truly an extraordinary experience.

There have been national junior championships for athletes dating back to the 1920s, with the former Czechoslovakia having organised what is believed to be the first in 1921. But having a global event – the IAAF World Junior Championships – that puts young talent on display is a relatively recent innovation.

At the fourth of the IAAF Ambassadors Press Conferences, 1993 IAAF World Championships gold medallists Frankie Fredericks and Colin Jackson were accompanied on Tuesday (13) by Russia bronze medal winner in the 110m Hurdles at this year’s Championships, Sergey Shubenkov.

European 110m Hurdles champion Sergey Shubenkov was minding his own business in his Siberian hometown of Barnaul, when suddenly, the former World record-holder and double world 110m Hurdles champion Colin Jackson turned up.

IAAF Ambassador and former World record-holder Colin Jackson and European indoor and outdoor champion Sergey Shubenkov were the special guest stars of a hurdles master class which was held in Shubenkov’s hometown of Barnaul, Siberia yesterday afternoon (8 May).

European 110m Hurdles champion Sergey Shubenkov was the subject of arguably the most pleasant surprise of his career when former World record-holder and IAAF Ambassador Colin Jackson turned up to his training venue this afternoon (7 May) in Barnaul, the administrative centre of the Altai Krai in Siberia, Russia.

Preview of IAAF Grand Prix II in Gateshead