OWEN SMITH has made an eye-catching start to the indoor athletics season.

The 24-year-old hit the ground running as he won his 400m race at the Scottish National Open on January 12, and the Sychdyn-raised athlete followed that up with an impressive showing at the Vienna Indoor Classic.

Smith came first in his race in a time of 47.3 seconds, which saw him finish third overall in a field of 56 entrants having gone into the meeting seeded sixth.

The former Deeside athlete, who is second in the early season rankings list, wasn't done there as he opted to run in the 200m as training for the first stage of his 400m.

Smith clinched first place in the race in a time of 22.09 seconds.

Next up for the Cardiff-based Smith are the British Championships in Birmingham on the weekend of February 9-10, where he will be challenging for a place at the European Championships the following month in Glasgow.