Shaquille Dill and Aaron Evans, the Bermuda middle-distance runners, could both take plenty of encouragement from their semi-final exits at the Commonwealth Games.

Dill, in particular, ran a superb race in a star-studded field that included David Rudisha, the 800 metres world record-holder from Kenya, finishing in sixth position in a time of 1min 48.59sec.

He could have been forgiven for feeling slightly overwhelmed by competing in the neighbouring lane to Rudisha, the greatest 800 runner of all-time; however, nothing appears to faze the 20-year-old, who proved to be the Island’s surprise package in Glasgow.

“I just tried to stay with the top runners and hang on for as long as I could,” said Dill, who is the cousin of Shianne Smith, the Bermuda heptathlete. “It was a great experience to be racing against athletes of the calibre of Rudisha.

“You can definitely learn a lot from competing against runners like him.”

Dill, who trains under the watchful eye of Gerry Swan, the former Bermuda coach, said that the Games had fuelled his desire to compete at more major international competitions.

“It’s been a great experience and hopefully next time I come, I can make the finals,” he said. “I feel like these Games were a learning experience for me and I’ve just got to take things step by step.”

Dill’s team-mate Evans, appeared downhearted after his semi-final, finishing last of eight in 1:50.17, although he, too, showed exciting glimpses of promise.

The 24-year-old won his heat in 1:50.48 on Tuesday to qualify for the semi-finals.