JASON Lobo has targeted Sunday's Grand Prix meeting at Sheffield for an all-out assault on the European Championships qualifying time.

The Blackburn 800m star needs to shave just over half a second off his season's best time of 1min 47.07 secs to meet the required 1min 46.5.

That was run in horrendous conditions in the BUPA Games at Gateshead.

And Lobo is confident that better conditions at Sheffield will see him wearing the British vest with Andy Hart in Budapest in October.

Lobo is already on his way to Kuala Lumpur for the Commonwealth games in September after last weekend's AAA's success in Birmingham.

The Sheffield test, though, will be tough.

Many of the world's top 10 will be on show, although Lobo has deliberately avoided more detailed information on the exact line-up. He said: "I do not really want to know who is running.

"I am fairly confident but it boils down to the weather and the forecast is looking good.

"If it is slightly damp, that is not too bad.

"I will be looking for is a fairly still, warm day.

"I want to get sat in the pack and pulled into as fast a time as possible."

Lobo's renewed form has coincided with a move from Blackburn Harriers to Belgrave Harriers.

He said: "I have had slightly more backing this year.

"I was forced to leave Blackburn due to a lack of sponsorship and join the Manchester United of athletics clubs, Belgrave, who have a wealthy backer.

"That enabled me to go to Colorado for altitude training.

"And I have had fantastic backing from my employers, the Lancashire Constabulary, who have allowed me to attend competitions and alter shifts to suit my training schedule."

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