WARRINGTON Sports Personality of the Year John Nicholls has landed the biggest victory of his career at the age of 41.

The Stockton Heath shot put star clinched his first international gold medal at the European Veterans Indoor Championships in Helsinki on Thursday with a throw of 15.45m - the best indoor throw of his long career.

Nicholls, who has won the Cheshire Athletics Championships for 20 successive years, was the favourite in Finland and had said nothing other than gold would be good enough for him.

He got a shock when he spotted the ability of his main rival, Arto Eskelinen, during the warm-up but produced a special performance to defeat the powerful Finn.

Nicholls said: "I was throwing one before him and in the first round I threw 15.26m - the second longest indoor throw of my life. It took him three rounds to recover from that.

"Then I threw 15.45m in the second round and to do that at 41 was incredible."

Nicholls, who won the British Masters Indoor Championships last month with 14.71m, also threw 15.40m in the third round and, although Eskelinen eventually threw 14.96m, the Warringtonian had done enough to win.

"It's my biggest achievement without a doubt," said Nicholls.

"It was a genuine competition on a huge stage for me. For me to come good when it mattered and throw that well was just great.

"I couldn't be happier and I'm going to make sure I enjoy it."

Nicholls has now cancelled retirement plans and is likely to return to action in May when he goes for a 21st Cheshire Championships title.