EDWARD Bird celebrated selection for the Olympic Futures Programme by setting a new national record, reports Nigel Harding.
British Athletics saw an immediate dividend from their support for the former Dorchester Athletic Club junior when Bird ran the fastest-ever indoor 3000m by a British under-20. Only current 1,500m world record holder Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Joel Ibler Lillesø are faster on the European list.
Running against seniors at Boston University in the USA, Bird achieved a personal best by almost seven seconds with 7:53.14, compared to his 7:59.99 back in January.
Bird, who hails from the village of Charminster, is now in his second year at University of Kentucky, having joined Poole Athletic Club some four years ago.
It marks the end of a successful year for the young athlete who came third in the World Junior Championships in Lima, Peru, earlier this year.
Bird has been awarded the Ron Jewkes Trophy by the British Athletics Supporters Club for his bronze medal in Peru.
His other accolades include being the bronze medallist in the 2022 European Under-18 3000m Championships and he finished 18th in the 2023 World Under-20 Cross-Country Championships.
Bird also won the club’s Young Athlete Award in 2022.
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