RYEDALE star Richard Buck finished second in the final of the 400 metres at the Sainsbury’s British Indoor Athletics Championships in Sheffield.

Buck clocked 46.88 seconds and was narrowly edged out of gold medal place by Great Britain relay team-mate Nigel Levine (46.82).

Daniel Awde registered a personal best of 46.90 to claim third place.

Gold looked to be heading to Luke Lennon-Ford after a late surge, but he was later disqualified for a lane infringement.

These championships doubled up as British trials for the World Indoor Championships in Sopot, Poland, next month – and the result offers Buck more food for thought as he contemplates sitting out on the individual competition there to run in only the relay.

He had been part of a record-breaking GB quartet that smashed a stadium record at the Sainsbury’s Glasgow International last month, putting him and his team-mates in the driving seat for relay spots at the Worlds.

However, the outdoor season is his priority this year, and he was wary of burning himself out by racing in the individual event as well as the relay.

Buck, the former Pickering schoolboy, lined up in the final on Sunday after finishing second to Levine in the second semi-final on Saturday, clocking 46.95 seconds to Levine’s 46.89 seconds.

In his earlier heat, Buck finished second to Lennon-Ford, clocking 47.60 seconds to his Great Britain relay team-mate’s 47.05 seconds.