BASINGSTOKE sprinter Owen Richardson has started his 2016 season in fine style with a couple of podium finishes.

The Basingstoke and Mid Hants runner has now moved up into the under 20 age group.

He began the year running the 400 metres in the South England Athletic Association Championship at Lee Valley.

Despite having to run a heat, semi and final in the space of five hours at the London venue, the 17-year-old competed incredibly strongly for a season opener.

He came away with a silver medal in the final as he finished in a excellent time of 48.36seconds.

This was him despite being one of the youngest competitors in the field.

Following this, the Sherfield School pupil was selected to represent England in the 400m at the Under-20 Welsh International in Cardiff.

Richardson came away with a gold medal for England with a confidant run beating the top United Kingdom ranked athlete Cameron Chalmers into second place in the process as he finished in a time of 48.86 in the Welsh capital.

There is no rest for teenager as they weekend he travels to Sheffield in Yorkshire to take part in the under-20 national championships.

Richardson is currently ranked number two at under-20 in the country.