STOURBRIDGE’S Nick Cruchley insists he can’t wait to jump again after defending his pole vault gold at the BUCS Gatorade Nationals.

The 24-year-old headed to Sheffield’s English Institute of Sport on Saturday, February 22, the scene of his 2013 triumph in the same contest.

Despite winning both the indoor and outdoor BUCS crowns last year, Cruchley decided to take a step away from athletics. However, he is back this season and is looking to make up for lost time.

And that was evident as the University of Birmingham student successfully held on to his title with a height of 5.40m, his best ever indoor jump.

The result has shown Cruchley that he was right to return to the sport this season and he admits he is far from over just yet.

“It’s a competition I like winning. It sounds silly but I do like this comp a lot, so I am really happy with the gold medal,” said the sports and material science student.

“Obviously having done indoors and outdoors for two years running, it’s great to get another indoors title and it will set me up well for my next competition.

“We’ve got a good group of British guys hitting 5.30m and 5.40m, so we are getting strong.

“They are going to push me and it’s nice to have a group of guys here to constantly compete with," he added.

"Jump higher, that’s my aim. Just do what I’m doing, jump as high as possible and enjoy what I’m doing. There is qualifying for the Commonwealth Games but there are three guys quite a bit ahead of me.”

The world of pole vaulting was turned upside down just days before Cruchley stormed to BUCS Gatorade Nationals gold, with Frenchman Renaud Lavillenie breaking Sergey Bubka’s two-decade old world record.

And Cruchley admits that the feat has given him some impetus to push on this season.

“If you asked me a couple of years ago if anyone could break the pole vault record, I would have said no,” he added.