DAVID Bishop arrived back in the UK this week after sending a shockwave across the British middle distance running scene.
The 24-year-old Bristol & West AC runner made a major breakthrough in California on Sunday as he clocked a stunning personal best of 3mins 37.51secs, smashing his previous best of 3:40.79, in the Payton Jordan Cardinal Invitational meeting at Stanford University.
Even more significantly, Bishop's time is also inside the Olympic B standard of 3mins 38.0secs, putting him second in the UK rankings behind Andy Baddeley, who clocked 3:35.19 in the same race and last, but not least, it was a new Bristol & West club record eclipsing Olympian Nick Rose's 32-year-old record of 3:40.41.
"I really thought I was in shape for something fast from about October time, but got a little unlucky indoors with illnesses seeming to pop up right around the races," said Bishop.
"I was really knocking down some decent training though and went to Mt SAC confident of a big one. Unfortunately, we didn't have a pacemaker, but I ran a 1:52 last 800m to set a new PB which cemented it in my mind that I was ready.
"Obviously, I'm very pleased I showed what I was capable of, but it wasn't too much of a surprise. I have considered myself capable of running this sort of time for a while now. It is just nice to finally get that raw time!"
Over the winter Bishop returned to Albuquerque, where he graduated from the University of New Mexico last year, having been offered a part-time job coaching which fits in well with his running commitments.
So far the decision appears to have paid off handsomely, but both he and coach James Thie feel there is more to come and that the Olympic Games A qualifying mark of 3:35.50 is within reach before the trials next month.
"The race wasn't a perfect one and, hopefully, I can knock 2.01 seconds off, that would be perfect!" added Bishop. He was invited to race the 3, 000m at the UKA test meeting in the Olympic Stadium today, but having only arrived back in the UK on Thursday will make a late decision.
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