TEAM Solent's Tommy Davies came home with a personal best in the locker from the British Milers' Club Nike Grand Prix meeting at Eton on Saturday night.

But the 17-year-old 3,000 metres specialist from Romsey was not entirely satisfied with his improved 1500m mark of three minutes 57.85 seconds.

His dad Keith reported: "Tommy was really looking for something nearer 3.55, so he is a bit disappointed. However, he has been troubled by a foot injury recently and he is also in the middle of his A-levels.

"His coach Rod Lock thinks the stress of the examination can take its toll along with the worry of the injury, so the verdict is 'satisfactory'."

With his exams at Peter Symonds College due to finish later this week, the AAA indoor under-20 3,000m champion will start plotting his assault on the English Schools' Track & Field Championships at Sheffield next month (July 11/12).

Davies bypassed Saturday's Hampshire Schools' Championships in favour of gaining speed practice at Windsor, but his recently set personal best of eight minutes, 33.15 seconds is the fastest by any Hampshire senior boy this season and he is hoping the selectors will take him on that basis.

Keith said: "If selected, Tommy's aim is to win a medal and run under 8.30. Only two boys in the country have run under that time this year."

Aldershot, Farnham & District's Chris Thompson was another Hampshire athlete to come away from Eton with a personal best in tow.

The 22-year-old powered round the final lap of the 5,000m (incorporating the Norwich Union AAA Under-23/20 Championship) as if his life depended on it to win in 13.34.93 - more than half a minute inside the A standard qualifying time for the European Under-23 Championships in Poland next month (July 17-20).

Thompson, who has been coached through the age-groups by Mick Woods at Aldershot, finished five seconds ahead of Ireland's Cathal Lombard.

Twenty-year-old Winchester-born athlete Louise Damen made it a golden double for coach Woods in the women's 5,000m.

Having already beaten the A-standard qualifying time of 34.10.00 for the European Under-23s, the Bournemouth AC and Loughborough University member again cracked the qualifying mark for Bydgoszcz with a fine solo run of 16.09.58.

The Frost twins from the Isle of Wight both beat the European Junior Championship qualifying time of 6.55.00 in the women's 2000m steeplechase. Kathryn survived one tangle with a hurdle to clock 6.50.50 for fourth place, pipping sixth-placed sister Bryony, who finished in 6.54.27.