Shaquille Dill is in good spirits going into the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow after a successful trip to western Canada where he twice turned in season-best times in the 800 metres.

The 20-year-old took some positives from the meets after clocking 1min 48.44secs in the Victoria International Track Classic, which was 6.35 seconds faster than the time he posted two days earlier at the Edmonton International Track Classic.

Dill then went even faster in his final meet last Thursday when he clocked a second season-best time of 1:48.09 to finish fourth.

“My training is going good and there is not much you can do right now to get better, just maintain what you have,” said Dill, who trains under former Bermuda coach Gerry Swan.

“In Canada last week my times were dropping at a consistent pace to where my PB, 1:47.7, is. When I ran the PB around this time of the season last season in Vancouver, Canada I wasn’t as fast.

Dill, who will compete in Glasgow with 800 Bermuda team-mate Aaron Evans, has set his sights on reaching the 800 final in Glasgow.

“When I go the Commonwealths I plan on making it to the finals where I can give it all I have,” Dill said.

“My coach says I perform on big occasions which is a good thing. It’s just a matter of going into the competition with a good mindset and staying confident.”

Dill has been coached by Swan for six years and he credits Swan for making him a better middle distance runner whose best times are still ahead of him.

“He’s helped me in not just getting faster but mentally, too,” Dill said. “He’s always on my case, motivating me and not letting me be satisfied with anything little.”

Yesterday, Dill was put through a gruelling five-mile run at the Arboretum before further training at the National Sports Centre under the watchful eye of coach Wayne Bean.

“This is my first Commonwealth Games but last season I went to the University Games in Russia and that was a big Games,” said Dill, who leaves for Glasgow this weekend. “Once I come back from the Commonwealth Games I’ll be going to Canada again for the NACAC Under-23s. In Bermuda it is pretty hard to stay focused and motivated, it’s just a matter of what you want out of track and field and staying on track.”

Dill is confident he and Evans can produce good showings in the 800 metres in Scotland. “Hopefully we both make the final, we can do it together,” he said.

Bean has no doubts the best is yet to come from Dill. “If he concentrates more on being with the leaders of the pack and not hang back in the first 400 to 500 metres then he’ll stand a good chance of going through to the next round,” said Bean, who is the father of two middle distance runners, Alexis and Taylor Ashley Bean.

“He is well prepared mentally and physically to give his all and I truly believe he will run a PB out there. He can hang with the best but mentally he has to put it together on the day. Depending on how the do the races, whether the first three go through from the heats plus the next fastest times or the first two going through, he shouldn’t depend on the next fastest times, he needs to get in the first two or first three. There are going to be three rounds, preliminaries, semis then finals.”

Added Bean: “He’s quite focused and a very humble kid and is a joy to coach. He gives his all, he’s done the work and now it’s time to pay off.