Nathan Douglas was in reflective mood after bowing out of athletics with a fifth-place finish at the British Championships.

The Oxford City AC triple-jumper achieved 15.73 metres, but his last competition before retirement was not all about the result.

Spectators at the Manchester Regional Arena showed their appreciation for Douglas in the city he won the first of his eight British titles in 2004, earning qualification for the Olympic Games.

READ MORE: See how all Oxfordshire athletes fared at the British Championships

And the veteran thanked the fans as he ended a senior career spanning almost 20 years.

“I am feeling very emotional,” he said.

“The crowd were amazing; what a send-off they gave me. I really appreciate it.

“I have really enjoyed my years in the sport and could not have asked for any more.

“It is a wonderful sport to be involved in and I have enjoyed every minute.”

The event was won by City of Stoke AC’s Ben Williams, who jumped 16.76m – still well short of Douglas’ championship record distance of 17.64m, set in 2005.

The 39-year-old was unable to add another gold medal to his CV, but he leaves athletics with his head held high.

In addition to appearances at the Olympics in 2004 and 2008, the Birmingham-based star boasts two silver medals at the European Championships.

From one Oxford City athlete at the end of their career to one beginning their journey, it was another memorable weekend for Eloise Hind.

The 18-year-old claimed a brilliant bronze medal in the heptathlon, racking up 5,318 points at her first British Championships.

Hind produced a string of solid performances in Manchester, but admitted her performance surpassed expectations.

She said: “I am so excited, I didn’t expect that in my first British Championships.

“It wasn’t a perfect two days so to come out with a good score and a medal was more than I could have hoped for.”

The Matthew Arnold School pupil is due to compete at the Mannheim International in Germany this weekend.

The prestigious event is one of the planet’s top junior competitions, with Hind one of three heptathletes selected along with Abigail Pawlett and Ella Rush.

The trio are vying for two places at this summer’s World Under 20 Championships in Cali, Colombia, which takes place in the first week of August.