TOM DRUCE warmed up for the weekend’s Norwich Union European Trials and UK Indoor Championships in Sheffield, with a superb run at the Reebok Open in Manchester on Wednesday night. He clocked 49.33sec. to finish second in the 400m, just half-a-second outside his outdoor lifetime best of 48.83.

‘I was pretty pleased with that and reckon I can go quicker this weekend,’ he said.

‘It looks hopeful for the summer,’ added the Bath-based student who plans to double up for the 400m and 800m at this year’s NatWest Island Games In Rhodes.

Lee Merrien is also in action at Sheffield this weekend, hoping for a better performance in the 3,000m for which Mo Farah starts favourite.

Merrien, the south of England runner-up, was off the pace in Ghent last weekend.

Dale Garland is ruled out of the big televised event with a persistent hamstring problem.