COLCHESTER'S Charlie Dobson said he was ‘over the moon’ after racing to an impressive silver medal at the European Athletics Championships, in Rome.

Dobson finished second in the men's 400 metres final in a new personal best time of 44.38 seconds.

He finished behind Belgium's Alexander Doom, who won with a new championship record of 44.15, the second fastest time from a European athlete ever.

 

Dobson said: “I’m over the moon, I couldn’t be happier with that. I think I executed the race perfectly, exactly how me and my coach wanted to.

"Unfortunately, it wasn’t the gold but I’m more than happy to take the silver, especially with a PB like that.”

Dobson had qualified for the final after clocking the quickest semi-final time in the history of the European Athletics Championships.

 

Dobson, 24, ran an outstanding time of 44.65s running for Great Britain at the event.

The Colchester Harriers AC member, coached by Leon Baptiste, finished fastest in the second fastest 400m time of his career.

Dobson last month won the men's 400 metres in his individual season opener at the Meeting Citta di Savona, in Italy in a time of 44.46 seconds.

It saw him beat his own PB by more than half a second, as he coasted to victory.

It lifted Dobson from number 22 to number six on the UK all-time rankings.