THE largest ever Southampton Athletic Club contingent travelled to Sheffield for National Under 15-20 Indoor Championships.

In the shortest sprint, defending U20 60 metres champion Oli Bromby failed to overcome a poor start and lost out in a desperately close finish to eventual winner Dominic Ashwell of Shaftesbury Barnett, who took gold in 6.78 seconds. Bromby was rewarded with seasons best 6.80 for silver.

Training mate Fyn Ryves smashed his own U15 boys' club record, recording 7.51 to advance to the semi-final where he bowed out.

Ryves returned later in the day to destroy the club 300m record, advancing to the final with 39.14. He then lowered his record further to 38.33 seconds, missing out on a bronze medal by just 15 hundredths of a second at the end of a gruelling four-race schedule.

Unsurprisingly Ryves was somewhat worn out the following day, but still recorded a club indoor 200m record of 24.27 in his heat, missing the semi-finals by just one place to round of an excellent weekend's work.

Ellie Hodgson reached the U20 women's 60m semi-final, clocking 7.97 in her first year in the age group.

Jack Higgins twice broke the Southampton AC club record in the U17 men’s 400m. Having advanced to the final with a fine 51.01, he handled himself brilliantly to finish fourth in an impressive 50.40.

U20 pair Lynden Olowe (50.33) and James Jackson (50.86) reached the 400m semi-finals before being unable to overcome tight inside lane draws in their quest to reach the final. Olowe was at least rewarded with another club record of 50.32.

In the field, Amaya Scott secured U17 women’s shot put bronze in a season’s best 14.20 metres, while eighth-placed Sam Callaway registered a personal best (pb) 12.64.

U15 high jumper Callum Gregson scaled a pb 1.70m for fourth spot, while clubmate Lucy-Jane Matthews excelled to win gold a 1.55 clearance.

Matthews returned on Sunday to record the fastest time in the UK this year in the 60m hurdles heats, posting a pb and club record 9.03 seconds. She replicated that performance but had to settle for bronze in the final as the opposition raised their game considerably.

Fellow hurdler Ettie Hammond looked set to reach the semi-finals before hitting a hurdle hard and being held back to a still excellent 10.04.

Southampton's young athletes now turn their attention to the fast-approaching outdoor season with their confidence high.