MIKE WILSMORE is not the most familiar name on the athletics circuit but that will change soon if the city runner keeps winning titles.

The 26-year-old enhanced his already growing reputation by winning the blue riband 1500m race at the South of England Indoor Athletics Championships at Lee Valley.

Wilsmore admitted the victory in a classy middle distance field in north London was 'the best of my career so far'.

The Bristol & West AC and Tamar Trotters athlete won his heat and then a tactically-tough final to maintain his bright start to his winter campaign.

Wilsmore will head north to Sheffield this Saturday for the Aviva City Challenge where he hopes to sharpen his already impressive 1500m times ahead of the World Championship trials and UK Championships.

Wilsmore reckons he has nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying to clinch the World Championships qualifying time of 3.42mins.

He said: "I'm really pleased to have won the 1500m title – which has to be the best result of my career. I was up against a lot of very good 1500m runners and so to win the fastest of the three heats gave me a tremendous boost.

"I recorded 3.52.98 (the second and third heats were 3.56 and 3.58, respectively), and to make it to the final was a real result for me.

"It was worth the six-hour gap between the heats and the final to eventually start racing and to finish up in first place, topping the podium.

"The final times were down on the heat, as it was a more tactical race, given there was a title at stake.

"Where I'd run from the front in my heat, the final began slowly and after 600m no-one had made any influence on the race, obviously not wanting a sprint finish.

"So, I decided to get to the front and managed to open a gap which by the finish was about 10-15 metres in a time of 3.53.22.

"I felt strong in the final and feel there is a lot more to come when I needed it most.

"Hopefully, that augurs well for the remainder of the season to come."

DEVON have named their squad for the South West Schools' Cross-Country Championships, at Exeter Arena on Saturday.

There are 10 selected athletes and three reserves for each gender and age-group category.

Minor Boys: B Craske, (Ivybridge), E England (Plymstock), J Morgan (St Michael's), S Temple (Kelly College), K Hartnell (Kings), A Heath (West Buckland), M Birkett (Churston), I Wakefield, (West Buckland), C Sangster (NAC), E Banbury (Chulmleigh), R Morgan (Sidmouth), J Crosby (QECC), O Coldwell (Paignton), C Choules (Park), M Pearce (Kelly College), J Elsom (Kings). Reserves: W Silver (Exeter School), M Smith (St James), L Horn (Okehampton).

Minor Girls: E England (Plymstock) S Temple (Kelly College), A Heath, I Wakefield (both West Buckland), E Banbury (Chulmleigh) J Crosby ((QECC), R Sylvester (Park), E Oakshot (Ivybridge), J Johnson (W Buckland), G Selley (Colyton). Res: C Bishop (Plymouth College), M Gallagher (Torrington), C Hanbury ( TGGS).

Junior Boys: W Battershill (Ivybridge), T McShane (Isca), B Hall (West Buckland), O Pethrick (Isca), S Rogers, F Aldred (both Plymouth College), S Braunton (Bideford), C Tapp (Tiverton), T Blackford (DSH Boys), P Livingstone (Colyton). Res: J Channon (Kelly College), J Unsworth (Kingsley), C Ware (Okehampton),

Junior Girls: V Weir (Plymstock), E Ackford (Plymouth College), L Helston (Colyton), P Tank (Plymouth College), E Attfield (DHS Girls), K Bryson (Plymouth College), N Hemansbrook (West Buckland), L Barnes, (Exmouth), E Morgan (Sidmouth), Zoe Kuyken (Colyton). Res: M Gallagher (Park), R Davis (Uffculme), A Evans (Exeter Sch).

Intermediate Boys: D Weir (Plymstock), N Oliver (Holsworthy), J Blackford (DHS for boys), L Honey (Ivybridge), M Bull (Pilton), S Leary (Heles), N Broome (Park), C Hall (Heles), X Wesolowski (West Buckland), S Wordley (Braunton). Res: J West (DHS Boys), O Reynolds (TBGS), Harrison Baker (Okehampton).

Intermediate Girls: C Robertson-Bell (Ivybridge), A Rubbra (Okehampton), D Jewell (Bideford), M Ellett (Exmouth), H Gaunt (Park), N Craig (Plymouth College), C Stacey (Exmouth School), K Vine (Sidmouth), C Bonning (Ivybridge), K Holland (Park). Res: L Bayley (Maynard), R Pearce (Braunton), A Walker (Park).

Senior Boys: A Speke (Colyton), N Bennett (West Buckland), M Gaunt (Petroc), T Hardy (TBGS), G Speake (Okehampton), J Carnell (Kelly College), C Hewitt (Petroc), K Greirson (Kings), N Seccombe (Shebbear), J Smith (Ivybridge). Res: J Kerr (Colyton), C Brown (Kelly College), R Waters (Kingsley).

Senior Girls: R Chamberlain (Exeter College), J Harvey (Ivybridge), A Kelly (Exmouth), K Burns (Plymstock), E Riis-White (Kelly College), R Rogers (Plymstock), J Hoare (Ivybridge), J Dunn (Exmouth), B Barnett (Exmouth), L Campbell (Petroc). Res: L Ranft (Exmouth), S Ford (Exeter College), S Richardson (Exmouth).