TALENTED Royston pole vaulter Louise Shortland continued her development by claiming third place at the under-23 England Athletics National Championships. Earlier in the season, bad weather brought disappointment when two major matches, the County Athle

TALENTED Royston pole vaulter Louise Shortland continued her development by claiming third place at the under-23 England Athletics National Championships.

Earlier in the season, bad weather brought disappointment when two major matches, the County Athletics Union Championships, (CAU) and the England Athletics under-23 National Championships, caused the women's pole vault to be postponed when high winds made it too dangerous to vault.

The CAU has yet to be re-arranged but the National Championships were hastily combined with last weekend's Jumps Fest at the Birmingham Alexander Stadium.

Despite more rain, the weather could not dampen Shortland's spirits and she rose to the occasion to finish third with a vault of 3m 40cm.

The 21-year-old's vault was just 20cm below her season's best of 3m 60cm and meant that she narrowly lost the silver to Bryony Raine, of Cardiff AC, 3m 50cm.

Sale Harrier Emma Lyons went on to win the contest with a vault of 3m 90cm.

Shortland will be in action again this weekend when she makes the journey to Manchester to compete in the Division 1 National competition.