CITY of York Athletics Club ace Richard Buck cruised into the 400 metres semi-finals at the European Indoor Championships in Paris.

The 24-year-old won his heat in a time of 46.57 seconds, leading from the gun to the line to hold off Frenchman Yoan Decimus.

Buck said: "I learned from my mistakes two years ago where I didn't win my heats and made my own life very difficult. I wasn't going to do that again.

"The plan was win the heat and get a good lane for the semi and I've done that."

Fellow Brits Richard Strachan and Nigel Levine also qualified for tonight's semi-finals.

* Follow Richard Buck's progress in The Press and online at thepress.co.uk