CIARAN Cooper celebrated his return to action on the boards with a hard-earned 800m bronze medal at the 2016 South of England Indoor Championships in London, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Returning to one of his favourite events, the 18-year-old Swindon Harrier, from Lower Stratton, first won his heat in 1min 57.36secs and then improved to 1:56.65 in the final just a few hours later at the Lee Valley Stadium.

“I am pretty pleased with that for a starter,” said Cooper.

“My focus for the season is the National Indoor Championships next month (February 13/14) in Sheffield so last weekend was a decent result to show me where I am in my training.

“I have only been doing speed work for a few weeks so was caught out in the final as the top two guys, who are really talented runners and both won medals at the English Schools’ last summer, tore off and won in 1:51.

“It was ridiculously quick early on but it was okay for me and overall I was pleased.”

Cooper relished the return to the indoor boards after reluctantly slogging through the mud of cross country but coach Bryan Clinton is insisting he keeps up the stamina work for the next month or two at least.

“Most of my cross country is over now except for the remaining Oxford League matches,” added Cooper.

“But I will be looking to run indoors again before the UK Championships.”

At the same meeting there was also a bronze medal for Abbie Chaundy in the Under 20 women’s triple jump.

The 18-year-old Swindon Harrier, from Fairford, opened her season with a leap of 11.58m which was just eight centimetres off second place.

Encouragingly for Chaundy, the mark was her best indoors in what was her first triple jump competition since August.

The pair were the only two athletes from the Harriers who made the trip to London for the event on this occasion.