Watch the best of BUCS Nationals Indoor Athletics

The 2018 BUCS Nationals Indoor Athletics Championships had their fair share of excitement, drama and controversy, with plenty of new names on the top of the podium. 

On-demand videos of track races from the weekend are available here, with the full video streams including field action here and results can be found on the BUCS website.

The men’s 400m final was particularly exciting as Anthony Young of Glasgow Clyde College snatched the title right at the death from the diving Joe Brier of Cardiff Metropolitan. It came a couple of hours after medal contenders Jason Hoyle of Durham and Alex Knibbs of Loughborough had similtaneously pulled up in their semi-final.

The men’s 200m was a close call between three athletes as St Mary’s Shemar Boldizsar prevailed in 21.36s ahead of Brunel duo Luke Dorrell and Marvin Popoola. 

Elsewhere, Welsh champion and Cardiff Met captain Adele Nicoll picked up her sixth BUCS (indoor and outdoor) medal since February 2016 in the women’s shot put with a throw of 14.57m. 

Both of the 3000m finals proved to be thrilling contests. In the women’s race, Emily Hosker-Thornhill of St Mary’s was made to work hard for victory in 9:23.73 as she beat Loughborough’s Hannah Nuttall on the last lap (below). In the men’s event that followed, Sheffield’s Tom Horton initially crossed the line first, only for the officials to rule that he had overtaken leader Paulos Surafel on the inside using more than the track. Mahamed Mahemed was then awarded the title, with Surafel second. 

ATHLETICS | It was a sprint like finish in the women’s 3‚É£0‚É£0‚É£0‚É£m at #BUCSNationals

Emily Hosker-Thornhill of St Mary’s takes GOLD in a time of 9.23.72 ü•á

💻Watch the ahtletics LIVE now 👉 https://t.co/kOCfq53b3N pic.twitter.com/PZ6FLi4WUL

— BUCS (@BUCSsport) February 18, 2018

A number of athletes tried their hand at several events across the weekend, including Commonwealth Games-bound Niamh Emerson, who made her BUCS debut for Loughborough. Chari Hawkins of Bath impressed in taking silver medals in the long jump and 60m hurdles, but she was bettered by the incredible efforts of Emma Nwofor, who could’ve had four medals were it not for Brunel’s disqualification from the women’s relay after a lane infringement. Still, she and team-mate Lily Beckford were more than satisfied with a great weekend as the latter became 400m champion after two previous years of bronze and silver respectively. 

Counting medals with Emma Nwofor and @LilyBeckford after a brilliant @BUCSsport weekend with @TeamBrunel @AthleticsBrunel #BUCSnationals pic.twitter.com/k1ykvpeGsv

— Vinco (@VincoSport) February 18, 2018

As ever, the competition finale offered plenty of relay carnage. Bath have developed a reputation for failing to accept defeat in such races and last year’s double champion Olivia Caesar was determined to make up for a disappointing individual event this time around by helping her university get past Cardiff Met. She was joined on the top step of the podium by women’s 200m champion Beth Close.