DANNY Talbot’s build up to the trials for the Olympic Games moves to Switzerland this weekend, with the Trowbridge Tornado in high spirits after his start to the season, writes KEVIN FAHEY.

In his first 200m since reaching the semi-finals of the World Championships, in Beijing, last August, the 25-year-old clocked 20.48secs for victory in Regensburg, Germany, on Sunday.

It immediately put Talbot fourth in the UK rankings and, crucially, was inside the UK Athletics Olympics qualifying standard of 20.50secs, which Talbot will be looking to repeat in Geneva on Saturday and then Lucerne next Tuesday before then tapering for the trials at the end of the month.

“As I said before the weekend, I wasn’t too concerned about the time on Sunday so running inside the Olympic qualifying standard was a bit of a bonus,” said Talbot.

“It is also the fastest I have opened the season as normally I run 20.7secs something, so to come out and get 20.48 is very encouraging.

“But more than that, I was pleased to go through the motions of racing a 200m again after so long, especially after my recent illness.

“I was happy to be back racing 200m again after such a long time and I was pleased at how I executed my race in terms of technique and tactics.

“I will take the opportunity in these next two races to focus on different aspects of my race so that by the time of the trials, I will be ready to go out and win it again.”

The top two in the trials will get automatic selection for Rio as long as they have the qualifying standard so Talbot is halfway there and if he can run faster then that will crank up the pressure on his rivals.