CIARAN Cooper smashed his personal best by almost four seconds and soared to the top of the 2014 South West Rankings for Under 20 men on Monday night.

The 17-year-old Swindon Harrier delivered a superb performance in the British Milers’ Club PB Classic meeting at Millfield School, running aggressively from the start to win the 800 B race in a time of 1:53.73, carving almost four seconds off his previous best.

“That is a huge personal best for me and I am really chuffed with that time,” said Cooper, who lives in Lower Stratton.

“I wasn’t expecting to go that quick.”

For Cooper, who is coached by Bryan Clinton, it is his third PB over 800m in as many races this season. He opened with 1:57.86 in March, shaving 0.42secs off his 2013 best, then improved to 1:57.4 last month before Monday’s breakthrough performance that marks him out as one of the best two-lappers in the country.

Cooper wasn’t the only Harrier to catch the eye over two laps at the Bank Holiday meeting that attracted over 300 runners from across the country.

Training partner Will Crisp also improved his personal best, showing great concentration and character as the 14-year-old from Hinton Parva trailed at the rear of a strong field in the C race.

Crisp actually finished last of the eight runners – all of whom were older than him – but that stat offered no hint of the importance of the run, as his time of 2:04.06 sliced 1.82secs of his 2013 best and catapulted him to the top of the UK Rankings for under 15 boys.

“That is a big PB for me as well,” said a delighted Crisp. “I love these races and now I will be looking to run under 2mins 3secs in the near future.”

In her first 800m of the summer, 17-year-old Lillie Bellamy shaved just over a second off her best with 2:13.20 for fourth place in the women’s 800m A race.