Dage Minors says his recent triumph at the New Balance Battle Road Twilight Series is a “stepping stone” towards “bigger” things he is striving for this summer.

The Bermudian middle-distance runner led the field across the line in the 1,500 metres with a personal best time of 3:48.03, competing at last weekend’s track meet at Bentley University in Waltham, Massachusetts.

“More than anything I was pleased to pull out the win last week at the New Balance Twilight Meet,” Minors said, who went into the competition on the back of promising display in the Music City Distance Carnival in Nashville, Tennessee, last month, where he placed fifth in his 800 metres heat in a time of 1min 49.31sec.

“I haven’t won a race in quite some time, mostly because I don’t race as much as I did when I was a student, so it felt good.

“The new PB was a nice reminder that all of the hard training over the past eight months is paying off. And it’s merely a stepping stone to hopefully bigger ones later this summer.”

Minors’s preparations are geared towards this summer’s World University Games in Naples, Italy, and the Pan American Games in Lima, Peru.

The World University Games will be held from July 8 to 13 and the Pan American Games from July 26 to August 11.

“Training for Dage has been going great and he’s rounding into shape nicely for the months of July and August,” Zach Emerson, Minors’s coach, said.

Minors is set to compete in the 1,500 at next week’s 36th Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic in Canada where he intends to build on his momentum.

“Looking forward to the Harry Jerome Classic 1500m,” the 23-year-old said. “Things are looking up heading into a big summer.

“In Canada I’ll be looking to gain momentum and take positives from the race that I can use in the World University Games in July, and at the Pan Am Games in August.”

The 36th Vancouver Sun Harry Jerome International Track Classic will be held at the Swangard Stadium on June 20.