HE'S no longer one of the bright young things of the British athletics scene, but Richard Davenport says he has unfinished business with the sport.

Now 25, the runner from Littledean (pictured) is set to fly out to Los Angeles for a five week training camp ahead of the new outdoor season. He said: "I've not gone crazy through the winter, but I've trained better than I have raced.

"The trials are in late July but my main goal is probably the World Student Games in China in early August."

Throughout his teens, Davenport broke records at every level.

At 16, he ran 400m in a time of 47:29 – the third fastest 400m time ever for a British under-20s runner.

Steve Cram dubbed him 'by far the most outstanding young 400 metres talent in the country'.

In 2004, the Great British Athletics Writers' Association named him their Junior Male Athlete of the Year, then the following year he won a silver medal at the European Indoor Championships in Madrid with the senior British relay team.

However, things were already starting to go wrong with his body and he was diagnosed with a serious stress fracture of the back that threatened to end his career before it had really started.

Only last year did he show flashes of the old talent again as a 400m hurdler.

He said: "I'm definitely not one of the young guys and I haven't been for a while, but I feel young in terms of experience. I feel about 20 in terms of what I've been able to do.

"The standard is incredible now. I think four or five guys can get the qualifying time for the World Championships, but they can only take three.

"I think I'm in the mix but I need a PB."

It's certainly a big summer for Davenport if he is to get anywhere near the goals he set for himself as a youngster.

He hasn't given up on his dream of representing Britain at the 2012 Olympics, even though the odds are stacked against him.

He added: "I would never say I'm not going but I'm not fast enough to warrant it. I'm not even established domestically, but the dream doesn't disappear.

"Having been close to giving up a couple of times I don't set huge goals, but there's way more to come from me this year and next.

"When I was going down the rehab road I'd never have even dreamt I'd be where I am now."