SELBY athletics starlet Robert Shipley was left "ecstatic" after sealing a shock bronze medal at the BUCS Nationals.

Shipley, 20, clinched the final spot on the podium in the men’s 400 metres after clocking 48.58 seconds in the final, having set a new Durham University record in the previous round.

The BUCS (British Universities and Colleges Sport) Nationals saw more than 6,000 students from up and down the country descend on Sheffield for three days of sport.

And for former York College student Shipley, he could hardly have asked for a better finish to a fantastic few days on the English Institute of Sport track.

“It has been fantastic,” said Shipley, who studies computer science. “I managed to get through the heats with the quickest time, but obviously you’ve got some good athletes holding off.

“In the semi-final, I saw my friend in the first semi and he went through in 48.18 seconds for a university record, and then I went through in 48.17 seconds, just beating it. I’m so happy with that.

“Going into the final I thought whatever happens happens. I came here looking at the semi-final as my final and I would be pleased wherever I came. I’m ecstatic to have come third.”

The UK’s largest annual multi-sport event, BUCS Nationals has provided a building block in the fledging careers of many of Great Britain’s finest athletes.

And after surprising even himself with his medal, Shipley has set his sights high for the rest of the season.

“My concentration for the season was on the summer,” said the City of York Athletic Club runner. “It wasn’t ever to come to BUCS and think that this is my event.

“It might be that my season drops off but fingers crossed and touch wood it carries on the way that it’s going and I do well, maybe in the Under-23 Outdoors and hopefully I’ll be going to the British Championships for the first time. That’s my goal for the season.”

*British Universities & Colleges Sport (BUCS) is the national governing body for Higher Education (HE) sport in the UK, organising leagues and competitions for more than 150 institutions across 52 different sports. BUCS Nationals is the UK’s largest annual multi-sport event, bringing more than 6,000 athletes to Sheffield to compete in nine sports.