ALTHOUGH Bournemouth AC missed the championship title by just five hundredths of a second, they still gained British Athletics League promotion.

James Lelliott, a force behind BAC’s revived fortunes, achieved personal bests in javelin (59.83m), discus (37.32m) and long jump (7.54m, wind-assisted). B string Adam Nash’s 7.02m leap ensured maximum long jump points.

High jumpers Alex Cox (2.05m) and Jamie Williamson (1.85m) were also undefeated. Tuwanda Murape’s third-placed 13.65m triple jump was matched by B string winner Patrick Sylla on his League debut at just 15 years of age. Simon Fricker (discus 37.42m) and Matt Frampton (hammer 51.22m) each scored second places.

Ben Arnold (200m 22.37s personal best), Stephen Goreham (400m 50.85s), Rob McTaggart (3000m 9:08.99), Jon Sharkey (3000m steeplechase 10:28.19) and Andrew Brown (javelin 54.35m) were also B string winners.

Steve Way led for much of the 3,000m, but his Commonwealth Games exploits had sapped his speed and he finished third in 8:53.47.

BAC led into the final race after judges awarded them 4x100m victory over a Yeovil squad with an identical 43.20s time, but the Somerset club took the title after a nail-biting 4x400m victory.