BOLTON United Harriers’ Jonny Kay picked up a stunning bronze medal at the British Indoor Championships.

The Heaton runner surpassed all expectations to come home third in the men’s 1,500m at Glasgow’s Emirates Arena.

The event has been his focus with coach Dave Shaw and his team-mates in the Harriers elite group, with extra training sessions coming at SportCity in Manchester.

“I thought I might be in with a chance of a medal and had discussed tactics with Dave prior to the race,” said Kay.

“I knew George Mills (the eventual winner) had been the quickest in qualifying and wanted to keep sight of him.

“I was fifth at the bell I soon moved into fourth. I was feeling strong and at the final bend I could see third place looking round and knew he hadn’t got much left.

“I found an extra gear and cruised into third in the final straight and was actually closer to second than fourth at the finish line.

“After the race on the podium the enormity of my achievement still hadn’t sunk in.

“I was just looking at my family, friends and coach with a big grin on my face.”

Now attentions turn to the outdoor season and the British Championships in June which also act as the Olympic trials.

Elsewhere for the Harriers, five juniors were in action at the National Age Group Indoor Championships in Sheffield.

Making their championship debuts were U15 Idowu Taiwo and U17 Fola Fasehun who both competed in the 60m short sprint.

Idowu competed in the first event of the day and ran 8.62 in her heat which was just outside her personal best.

Fola smashed her PB to record a time of 8.09 seconds to qualify for the semi-finals where she came seventh in another top time of 8.11.

Also in the 60m, Eniola Adedotun had high hopes but stumbled at 20m and wasn’t able to better his PB and finished fourth in his heat an agonising 0.04 seconds outside the time required to qualify for the semi final.

In the U20 women’s 400m Olivia Kimbowa finished third in her semi-final recording a time of 58.93 seconds.

Taiwo Taiwo doubled up in the sprints competing in both the 60m and 200m, an amazing achievement given she has been beset by injury over the last two years – qualifying for two events testimony to all her hard work and dedication.

In the 60m heat she ran 7.94 to finish third and then recorded 8.01 in the semi-final.

In her preferred event the 200m she came fourth in her heat in a time of 25.76, just missing out on the semi-final.

All of the athletes now return to hard training to start their preparation for the outdoor season.