Michael Rimmer (Liverpool Pembroke and Sefton AC) made a lightning start to his new season at the Stretford Open on Tuesday 1 May.

He ran a solo 1500m in 3:45.9, beating by no less than 6 seconds his previous PB, which was two years (all but a day) old.

Rimmer, fourth in the 800m final at last summer’s European Championships after his first winter of being coach by Norman Poole, says: “Training has gone very well. There’s been a definite change in my attitude towards athletics this winter. Not that I ever played around with it in the past. However I am much more professional about things now!”

He plans to continue with a few more 1500m outings in the next few weeks before reverting to the 800m as he aims for a place in the Norwich Union Great Britain and Northern Ireland team at this summer’s IAAF World Championships in Osaka, Japan.

If you are aware of any outstanding performances this weekend, please email the details to UK Athletics Communications Officer Trevor Frecknall at tfrecknall@hotmail.com