SOUTHAMPTON AC sprinter Oli Bromby has given himself a fighting chance of selection for this summer’s European Junior Championships in Grosseto, Italy.

The 19-year-old was well inside the 10.55-second qualifying time as he roared to 100 metres victory at the weekend’s Loughborough International.

Competing in the B guest race, he led the field home in 10.40 seconds, putting him just behind GB teammate Rechmial Miller in the rankings. Miller’s list-leading time of 10.36 was set in the heat of Jamaica earlier this month.

Reflecting on a tidy weekend’s work by his young protégé, Bromby’s coach Gary Gray said: “Coming into the Loughborough meeting, Oli was well below the radar as far as the season’s rankings were concerned.

“His only previous outings this season had been wind-assisted efforts, albeit pretty fast ones, plus an 11.02 into strong headwinds in the British Athletics League.

“Conversely, his main opposition had been running extremely well, aided by favourable conditions.

“But it was clear when Oli ran a strong second 4x100m relay leg for GB Juniors earlier in the day that he was moving well and he confirmed this in his individual race.”

After a slightly slugglish start, Bromby had got back on terms with the leaders by the 60-metre mark.

The Shirley powerhouse then produced his trademark surge in the closing 20 metres to win by a whisker from Adam Thomas (10.41).

Bromby, nearing the end of his studies at Richard Taunton Sixth Form College, has been awarded a scholarship at Southampton Solent University as part of the high performance programme.

The young sprint ace plans to continue his build-up to the National Championships/European Junior Trials at Bedford (June 17/18) by running in a European permit meet in Forbach, France later this month.

Other Southampton athletes in action at Loughborough included Chay Clark, who came fifth in her guest 400m hurdles race. Her time of 63.57 seconds was just outside her lifetime best.

Alex Beechey ran a season’s best 21.57 when grabbing joint first in his 200m race, while Ben Claridge clocked 47.90 in his 400m heat.

Sophie Merritt, battling jet lag having just returned from university in the USA, came sixth in the women’s shot put with 14.06 metres, representing GB Juniors.

Dominic Allen set a javelin personal best of 60.32 for fifth.

High hurdlers Jack Major (14.52) and Matt Hewitt (14.78) had a great duel in their 100m hurdles heat, finishing second and third respectively.

“It was good to see the largest ever number of Southampton athletes being invited to this prestigious annual event,” smiled Gray.