Dage Minors, Bermuda’s premier middle-distance runner, agonisingly missed out on breaking his national 1,500 metres record on Wednesday.

Minors finished sixth in the British Miler’s Club Watford Gold Standard in a time of 3min 41.36sec, just 12 hundredths of a second outside his best of 3:41.24.

Home runner James West won the race in 3:36.01 but Minors was satisfied with his performance as he gears up for what is his last scheduled race in Europe this weekend.

“I am pleased with the performance and ready to build on that for my race on Saturday in Scotland,” Minors said.

Minors has been competing in Europe this month, finishing twelfth in 3:45.29 in the 1,500m at the BMC Grand Prix in Manchester on August 12. Three days later he finished third in the 800 metres B race in a time of 1:50.29.

The 27-year-old was one of the elite athletes who secured additional funding from the Government this month to assist them with their international commitments. He received $12,000, which he has used to compete in the four races in Europe.

Minors also got a further $2,500 from the Government after winning the bronze medal in the 1,500 metres at the Central American and Caribbean Games.

It is an important year for Minors as the athlete is also hoping to add to Bermuda’s numbers at the 2024 Paris Olympics.