At the University of Washington "Husky Classic" indoor meeting in Seattle on Saturday 14th February, Damien Bateman smashed his personal best for the 5,000m when he won in 13:54.11, in a blanket finish that was so tight it was more like the end of a sprint, with only hundredths of a second in the difference between the top places.

This time is a big improvement for Damien and one suspects that there’s even better to come.

Meanwhile, 2500 miles away on the far coast, Martin Fagan was in action in the Valentine Invitational at Boston University where he won a competitive 3,000m in 7:57.85, which is close to his personal best for the distance indoors.