CHIPPENHAM sprint star Elaine O’Neill made a solid start to her 2010 indoor season in Austria on Tuesday night, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

Running in the Vienna International meeting the 20-year-old junior international finished second in the final in a time of 7.49secs having also clocked 7.50secs in her heats.

The time was outside her personal best of 7.38secs, but in her first competition of the season it is an encouraging start and immediately put her seventh in the UK rankings.

“It wasn't bad for an opener but I felt a bit rusty and had a few technical problems,” said O’Neill.

“But I am now looking forward to the Birmingham Games this weekend and hopefully can put them right.”

O’Neill will be defending her Birmingham Games title on Saturday after sprinting to victory in 7.47secs 12 months ago.

Now based at Loughborough University, she will be looking to go even faster this weekend before moving on to the Aviva World Championships trials at Sheffield the following week.

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