ATHLETICS

WOODFORD Green Athletic Club's Christian North was the star of the show at the British University Championships in Sheffield after landing pole vault gold, writes John Tompson. The 34-year-old, who is in his third year at Bath University studying Sports Performance, only needed a jump of 5.10m to top the podium - 10cms short of his personal best.

With the gold already secured - England's number five pole vaulter went for a personal best effort of 5.32m but was not left disappointed after failing to nail a lifetime's best.

Brunel University's Scott Huggins landed silver with a personal best jump of 5.00m, while Salford's Matt Cullen claimed the bronze with 4.30m.

"I went for 5.32m because my PB is 5.30m and I wanted to break that," said North.

"I'm a little bit disappointed that 5.10m is my best high though.

"It is a height I get quite a lot but it is OK and it's something to work with.

"If Scott Huggins had not been in it, I would have been up there on my own so it pushed me on.

"When he went out, I was on my own so that's why I went for that height. I was close to it but it wasn't to be."

North admitted a shot at this summer's Beijing Olympics is out of his reach at present but vowed to hit the track running when the outdoor season begins in the summer.

British number one Steve Lewis, who looks certain to go to Beijing, only nailed a leap of 5.35m at the World Indoor Championships earlier this month.

And North is hoping to put pressure on the Stoke star and land the AAA's British trials in Manchester in July.

"I want to medal at the Olympic trials in the summer, get as high as I can, and see what happens," added North.

"Things like the World Champs and the Olympics are a little but out of reach but I'll still go for them.

"I want national medals and if international stuff comes my way, then I'll grab it with both hands."

Meanwhile, Woodford Green and Essex Ladies teenager Kim Murray smashed her personal best on the way to long jump silver in Sheffield.

The 19-year-old jumped 5.50m on Saturday to beat her previous indoor best by 45cm.

Brunel University star Dominique Blaize claimed the top spot with a jump of 6.14m - just 2cms off the championship record.

But after recovering from an ankle injury over the winter Murray, who is studying sport and exercise science, is predicting more success during the outdoor season.

"I'm disappointed I missed out on gold but Dominique's jump was absolutely massive," said the Bath University student.

"It would be very hard to beat that. Last year I wouldn't have competed against Dominique because of the age groups so to come to the BUSA's is almost like an in-between competition between juniors and seniors."

Yorkshire Forward, the region's development agency, and Sheffield City Council's Major Sports Events Unit has attracted the British University Championships to the city, with faces of the London 2012 Olympics set to pass through its doors.