DANNY Talbot opens his season in Germany tomorrow night hoping that work on a new start will launch him towards a personal best, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

The Trowbridge international has just returned from three of weeks of intense sharpening work with coach Dan Cossins at a training camp in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

The main focus of that work and of his winter programme has been to prepare Talbot for his first attempts at the 400m indoors – he is sticking to 200m in the summer – but tonight he is opening with what he hopes will be a swift 60m.

“It was a really good training camp in Stellenbosch and I feel I have moved forward on every aspect compared to where I was at this time last year,” said Talbot.

“My endurance is better with the work I have been doing for the 400m and I feel more rhythmical.

“I think I am faster as well and I have been working on changing my start a bit and that seems to be working okay.

“If I can get that start right then I think I will be close to running my personal best with the aim of getting under 6.60secs.”

Last winter Talbot focussed extensively on the 60m. He opened his season in January with 6.83secs and then brought that down to 6.62secs in the British Championships which made him the seventh quickest in the UK.

If Talbot can break 6.60secs it would put him in elite company as only 19 British sprinters in history have ever achieved that goal.

“The field in Dusseldorf is the best quality I have ever race with as there are three guys – Michael Rodgers, Kim Collins and James Dasaolu – who have run under 6.50secs,” added Talbot.

“Hopefully I can hang onto them and get pulled to a fast time.”

On his return, Talbot will then turn his focus to the 400m with his debut in the Birmingham Games on February 7 in which he is aiming to earn his place in the British Championships the following weekend.