OLYMPIC sprinter Danny Talbot has said he is delighted to have retained the backing of UK Athletics with his inclusion on the Olympic and Paralympic World Class Performance Programmes (WCPP) for 2017.

The Trowbridge Tornado, who at the start of this year moved his base from Wiltshire to Loughborough as he switched coaches, will get full support from the sport’s governing body as part of the 4x100m relay squad in the build-up to the World Championships in London next year.

That is the big target for Talbot and all British athletes but for the former St Augustine’s School student there is also the World Relays Championships in the Bahamas to get the season underway.

“I am very grateful to be back on funding for another year and it is really good news,” said Talbot.

“It is exactly the same level of support that I received last year and that is vital in the build-up to the World Championships.”

Talbot has been back in training for six week having only taken a short break at the end of the summer season in which he improved his personal best to 20.25 seconds, won a bronze medal in the 200m at the European Championships and reached the semi finals at the Olympics in Rio.

“Normally I have longer than three weeks rest but that means I am coming back at a higher level than before and I have noticed the benefits already as training has gone really well,” added Talbot.

“This will be my first full winter with Benke (Blomkvist) as I only joined him in January of this year and we are working a lot on technique.

“I may race once indoors but probably no more than that. The aim is to come out early in 2017 with races in America and then the World Relays in the Bahamas. I think Britain will be sending strong teams there again.”

Talbot is one of just three athletes from the West County to have made the funding list. Plymouth sprint hurdler David King, who is based at Bath University and Frome 400m sprinter Emily Diamond are the others.