Tom Lancashire's 1,500 metres victory in Friday night's ExxonMobil Bislett Games in Oslo showed the former European junior silver medallist may realise his potential in the immediate future.

The 22-year-old US college student might have a long way to travel before following in the footsteps of Seb Coe, Steve Cram and Steve Ovett who used to dominate the Norwegian meeting 20 years or so ago.

But Lancashire, who finishes his studies at Florida State University in December, makes no secret he has ambitions to establish himself as a world class performer and his excellent win in a personal best time of three minutes 35.33seconds was well worthy of praise.

Lancashire, who three years ago ran the fastest metric mile time by a British junior for 12 years, made a classic strike on the final bend to ward off the challenges of Mitch Kealey and Tim Kiptanui.

"I knew the race was open and I had a chance of winning but this was just great," said Lancashire, who knocked more than three seconds from his previous best.

"This is an amazing place to run."

The 2005 European Under-23 400m champion Robert Tobin held off Australia's Commonwealth champion John Steffenson to win by 0.02secs in a season's best of 46.17.

In the B event the pair pulled clear in the home straight with 30-year-old Irish record holder Paul McKee finishing in 46.63.

Last summer's European Under-23 bronze medallist Rikki Fifton flew out of his blocks in the 100m 'B' race to run 10.32 - his fastest of the season - with team-mate Leon Baptiste runner-up in 10.45.

Amy Harris, who claimed a European junior long jump silver medal two years ago, was second in the long jump after clearing 5.97metres. Norway's Hilde Rosvik won with a best effort of 6.21m.

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