WINNING a bronze medal at the British Championships has convinced Dale Clutterbuck he can complete a fairytale season by racing at the World Championships.

The 23-year-old finished third in the 1,500m in Birmingham last Sunday and now has three weekends to get the qualifying time to win his first Great Britain vest.

And the Canvey athlete has been boosted in his efforts to get that time by being invited to compete in his first Diamond League race at London’s Olympic Stadium next weekend.

“I have got nothing to lose,” said Clutterbuck who needs to run 3m 36.20s to gain the qualifying time, about four seconds faster than he has ever run before.

“I am racing an 800m in Madrid this weekend to warm up for it and then I have the Diamond League the next week and then a big race in Holland the week after.

“I’m living the dream to be honest. It’s what I’ve always dreamt of and what I’ve always wanted to do, compete on the big stage and make a living for myself.

“And I believe I can compete at the top level now. I’ve shown I can close a 1,500m with a 52 second lap and that is world class. I believe if I did get to the World Championships I wouldn’t just be going there to make up numbers, I would be going there to make the final.”

Clutterbuck’s rise to the cusp of stardom has been well documented but phenomenal.

This time last year he admits he had all but packed in the sport and was enjoying a life of partying.

But a chance meeting with Basildon’s former Commonwealth Games 800m medallist Matt Yates turned his life around.

Yates now coaches Clutterbuck and within a year has got him from an also-ran to one of the best middle-distance runners in the country, a point illustrated by his bronze medal at the British Championships.

“I don’t like to keep referring back to it, but a year ago I had nearly given up,” said Clutterbuck. “I thought I would be a 3m 45s runner (for 1,500m) and that’s it.

“Now I’m looking to get down towards 3m 35s and have won a bronze medal at the British Championships, all within a year.”