COMPETING in the British Indoor Championships for the first time, Trowbridge international high jumper Tom Gale finished a creditable eighth in the final.

The 18-year-old was one of the youngest athletes invited to the two-day event in Sheffield and he cleared 2.13m, just four centimetres below his season’s best he jumped in the Czech Republic.

“It was a fun competition but it was slightly frustrating that I only jumped 2.13m,” said Gale.

“I had a really good attempt at 2.17m, with the bar only falling off as I came off the landing bed, so it was very close. I think my timing was slightly off but that is something I can work on in my last two competitions of the winter. It was a good competition and the high jump got a lot of coverage, which was really good. I really enjoyed it.”

The Team Bath athlete will be looking to get on the podium at the England U20 Championships in Sheffield on February 25, then wraps up his indoor campaign at the Welsh International match in Cardiff.

“It would be nice if I could finish the season with a personal best and that remains my aim,” added Gale.