IF the pressure of exams is playing on the mind of Melanie Purkiss, the 20-year-old psychology student from North Baddesley doesn't let it show.

Two years ago the Team Solent sprinter made the athletics world sit up and take notice as a surprise 200 metres finalist in the BUPA British Championships at Birmingham.

And after a comparatively quiet 1998, the Barton Peveril-turned-Loughborough University student is in the mood to make her mark again after a storming start to the season in last weekend's televised international match at Loughborough.

Purkiss, who began her second-year exams yesterday, took her nose out of her psychology books to pass her track test with flying colours.

She reeled off a fastest ever 11.57 seconds for third in the 100 metres and then won her specialist 200m event in 23.68 - just one hundredth of a second outside her personal best.

Admittedly the times were wind-assisted, but it didn't detract from the satisfaction of revenge on Leicester's Zoe Wilson who had twice beaten her at the BUSA Championships at Bedford three weeks earlier.

"It felt good to beat Zoe and good to be running that fast early in the season," said Purkiss.

"When I set my 200m personal best in Spain last year I did it in July, so to be this sharp in May is really pleasing," she said. "The master plan was to start the season running low 24s/high 23s and then hopefully peak at low 23s in time for the AAA Championships.

"My goal is the European Under-23 Championships in Gothenburg at the end of July."

The sad side for Purkiss is a parting of the ways with Southampton-based coach Janet Smith. Since moving to Loughborough, she has been working closely with Great Britain Under-20 technical director Brian Hall and Smith admitted: "Things haven't worked out from my point of view. It's a pity because I've worked with Mel a long time and consider her a friend, but the direction has to come from one person.

"It doesn't really work to share athletes but Mel is welcome to train with the group whenever she's down in Southampton."

Purkiss's next track test is at this weekend's CAU Inter-Counties at Bedford.

Jamie Henthorn was another Team Solent sprint success at Loughborough. Donning the vest of Great Britain Students, the University of Wales man won the 200m in 21.11 seconds and was third in the 100m in 10.33.

Clubmate Becky Ridgley, another Loughborough student, finished second to British record-holder Janine Whitlock in the pole vault, clearing 3.50m, while Solent's Scottish international Katy Sketchley was sixth in the 100m hurdles in 14.04. Ashley Swain, representing GB Juniors, was third in the men's pole vault with a season's best 4.70m and 18-year-old Chris Bennett - who, like Swain, studies at Winchester's Peter Symonds' College - came third in the invitation 200m race in 21.87 before running the British Juniors' fastest leg time of 46.8 in the 4x400m relay.

King Edward's pupil Angus McLean finished back in 12th in the men's 1500m but had the satisfaction of clocking a personal best 3.47.49 which is a European Junior Championship qualifying time. Gary Sollitt came fourth in the Loughborough shot putt (16.49), Andrew Bargh was fifth in the 400m hurdles (53.17) and Andrea Coore came fifth in the 100m (11.75).

McLean will not be competing in this weekend's South of England Under-20 Championships at Haringey because he is engrossed in A-Level studies, but his Team Solent clubmates Bennett, Swain, sprinter Darren Wall and 800m pair Helen Zenner and Mark Glennie are all entered.

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