Middle-distance star Ryan Gregson will take red-hot form into the upcoming world indoor athletics championships in Birmingham.
The 27-year-old confirmed his status as a genuine Commonwealth Games medal shot with a come-from-behind victory in the 1500m at the Australian trials last weekend.
Gregson was back in seventh spot with half a lap to run on the Gold Coast before unleashing a withering kick to claim a third straight national crown.
He backed that up three days later with a win in the mile at a grand prix indoor meet in Ireland.
"The 1500m at the Commonwealth Games will be cut-throat and feature the best 1500m runners in the world," said Gregson.
"To prepare myself for that I wanted to practise racing against the best in the world.
"It will be good preparation for the Commonwealth Games but racing at the world indoors has been a big focus of mine since the beginning of this campaign and it's a championship that I'm desperate to have success in."
Gregson is part of a seven-strong Australian team for the March 1-4 world indoors which also includes Olympic and world 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson and young pole vault stars Kurtis Marschall and Nina Kennedy.
Also competing in Birmingham are sprint hurdlers Nick Hough and Michelle Jenneke and shot putter Damien Birkinhead.
All seven have been named in the Commonwealth Games squad.
Australian Associated Press
