TOM Lancashire’s ambition to reach the 1,500m final at this summer’s World Championships is on course after he produced the best crosscountry performance of his career.

The Bolton Harrier’s focus on winter endurance work paid off when he beat all but one British cross country specialist in finishing fifth behind three Kenyan Olympic gold and silver medalists and domestic rival Steve Vernon in Edinburgh last month.

And Lancashire stepped up another gear last weekend when he took Vernon’s scalp at the Northern Championships in Sunderland.

The manner of his victory, and the fact it was over a tough 12km course, left the Bromley Cross 25-year-old hugely encouraged over the way his winter training is progressing.

And the man who has competed in the 1,500m at the last Olympics, Commonwealth Games and World Championships believes he is heading in the right direction to make his mark on the event in a global competition.

Already ranked number one in the country at 1,500m, and despite dipping under 3mins 34secs for the first time last season to go 12th in the all-time British rankings, Lancashire decided he needed to improve his endurance over the winter to give him the strength to achieve his ambition of getting down to 3:31 or 3:32 this summer, and reaching the World Championships final.

His performances in the two major cross country races he has run this season, and his times in training – which are consistently better than 12 months ago over all distances – have given him confidence he is heading in the right direction.

Looking back on Saturday’s race, he said: “There was only one big name missing from the race, James Wilkinson from Leeds, so to beat all the specialists at that event was really good.

“It was my best cross country performance ever. It was a really tough 12k course, quite hilly and muddy, but I am in the best endurance shape I have been in, and I certainly feel I have moved on from Edinburgh.”

Lancashire, who was representing Bolton in the race, added: “The win came as a surprise. It was a field full of cross country specialists at long distance.

“It was over three laps and Steve (Vernon) was going for a hat-trick of wins. We were neck and neck until Steve pulled away on the second lap. On the last lap I sensed he was tiring and I started to pull back.

“With half a mile to go I caught him up and piled past him.”

Lancashire’s next race is the National Cross Country Championships in three weeks at Alton Towers where the former Turton High School student will again be representing Bolton.