JAMES Lelliott found top form to secure a bronze medal behind an Olympic champion at the British Indoor Championships, reports Nigel Harding.

The Bournemouth AC long jumper matched his wind-legal outdoor best of 7.65m to place third in Birmingham.

Lelliott finished 15cm behind Greg Rutherford’s winning 7.80m, the London 2012 gold medallist making a tentative comeback after a seven-month absence and two operations.

BAC club-mate Bradley Pickup was seventh with 7.18m.

Melissa Courtney failed in a brave bid to qualify for the World Indoor Championships 3,000m.

The Poole AC star had to run from the front, chasing the qualifying requirement of 8:50.00.

And although she led for much of the race, she was overpowered by Laura Muir (8:45.71), Eilish McColgan (8:50.87) and Rosie Clarke (8:52.49) as she finished fourth in 9:01.72.

Wimborne’s Ryan Webb cleared 2.07m for seventh place in the high jump.

BAC sprinter Ronnie Wells was eliminated at the semi-final stage of the 60m, clocking 6.83s.

Blackmore Vale half marathon men's results: 1 Toby Chapman (BAC) 74:21, 2 Steve Way (BAC) 74:22, 3 Sean Edwards (LMS) 76:07, 4 Ryan Snell (Exmouth) 76:15, 5 Chris Wood (WAC) 77:45, 6 Anthony Clark (BAC) 77:59, 7 Jez Bragg (BAC) 78:36, 8 Ben Renshaw 78:44, 9 Richard Swindlehurst (PAC) 79:12, 10 Thomas Hole 79:35.

Women: 1 Vicki Ingham (PR) 89:53, 2 Clare Martin (Purbeck) 90:15, 3 Gemma Bragg (BAC) 95:57, 4 Jessica Marshall (Weymouth) 97:46, 5 Natalie Koenig-Moody 97:54, 6 Andrea Lewis (PAC) 98:29, 7 Victoria Basey (PR) 99:48, 8 Clare Snape (PAC) 1:40:54.

Lytchett 10-mile men's results: 1 Steven Osborne (Running for Time) 54:22, 2 Craig Palmer (LDH) 54:45, 3 Joshua Cole (BAC) 56:38, 4 Chris Wood (WAC) 58:33, 5 John Bassinder (PAC) 59:19, 6 Gareth Alan-Williams (PAC) 59:58, 7 Paul Card (Yeovil Town) 60:32, 8 Mitchell Griffiths (Westbourne) 60:50, 9 Duncan Cooper (PAC) 61:11, 10 Laszlo Toth (BAC) 62:33.

Women: 1 Lesley Moore (PAC) 71:53, 2 Rachel Glaisher (Wells City) 72:19, 3 Hannah Collier (LDH) 73:54, 4 Helen Southcott (Maiden Newton) 74:53, 5 Maria Everett (LDH) 75:52, 6 Sarah Wood 76:22.

Key to clubs: BAC – Bournemouth AC, LMS – Lytchett Manor Striders, PAC - Poole AC, PR – Poole Runners.