Runner named as part of World Performance squad

Dunn was part of Great Britain's bronze medal-winning 4x400m relay team at the World Athletics Championships last summer, and has set his sights on reaching the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janiero.

The 23-year-old University of Wolverhampton graduate, who is trained by long-time coach Keith Holt, is one of seven 4x400m relay athletes to receive backing.

He will be provided with top-of-the-range facilities, medical and sports science services, and warm weather training camps ahead of three major competitions next year.

"The indoor season starts in February-March time. The first major championships will be the World Indoor Championships in March and they are in Oregon, USA," Dunn told the Express & Star recently.

"If we look to compete indoors then that will be a target and then when we come back outside we have got the European Championships in Amsterdam (in July), but I have just got my eyes solely set on Rio for next year and that is the target."

Dunn narrowly missed out on a place at London 2012, before suffering a stress fracture in his back which put him on the sidelines until early 2014.

Having missed out on the Games last time around, the Birchfield Harrier – who says he now approaches races differently following his injury – is determined to make the podium in Brazil, whether that may be in the relay or individual event.

"We are going to be competing against the same teams that we did in the World Championships in Beijing," added Dunn. "We finished third there and we want to improve upon that medal in Rio.

"The standard is so high in the UK that just making the team is a task in itself but I want to be on that plane and I want to be standing on that podium with a medal around my neck."