Lee smashes PB at top event

Lee Emanuel knocked six seconds off his personal best for the 3,000m at the Birmingham Grand Prix

The St Leonards runner knocked six seconds off his previous best time for the distance at the high class Birmingham Grand Prix.

Emanuel clocked 7:45:12 to finish as the leading European competitor in seventh place, with a trio of top quality Ethiopians leading three Kenyans at

the head of affairs.

He said: “It was solid. It was kind of like within the window of time I wanted to run (between 7:40 and 7:46), but it was hard work.

“I was pleased to beat the other British guys, but I do feel like I could’ve gone a bit quicker. I was on my own for most of the race and it was a bit of a grind, but I was expecting to feel a little bit flat after the last couple of weeks went so well.”

Having qualified for the World Indoor Championships in the 1,500m, Emanuel used the Birmingham event as an opportunity to test his fitness over a longer distance.

The 29-year-old now leads the UK rankings in the 1,500m, mile and 3,000m this year, and is fifth on the all-time UK list for the indoor 3,000m.

Emanuel, who has run a PB in every event he’s contested this year, is now into two weeks of hard training before flying to Poland for the World Indoors on March 5.