PROMISING Colchester Harriers sprinter Charlie Dobson has been boosted after being backed by British Athletics' Talented Athlete Scholarship Scheme (TASS) for the 2018/19 season.

The 18-year-old runner, who was a world under-20 silver medallist over 200 metres for Great Britain at the IAAF World Under-20 Championships in Tampere this summer, is one of a group of talented performance pathway athletes to receive support from the scheme, a funded partnership with Sport England.

The scheme is designed to help English athletes grow through a sustainable dual career pathway as they make the transition from youth to senior athletics, helping them maximise their potential whilst continuing their education.

TASS supports athletes who have shown the potential to progress onto the World Class Podium Potential programme in the coming years who are 16 and over and currently in education in England, whilst competing at a Performance Foundations level.

It provides them with a tailored package of core support services worth more than £7,500 per athlete, including strength and conditioning, performance lifestyle, sports psychology, physiotherapy, sports medicine – medical insurance and a £500 funding grant.

Dobson, who is coached bv Steve Garnham at Harriers, has just started at Loughborough University having got the grades needed to study Aeronautical Engineering.