Dage Minors made a triumphant return to track athletics at the East Coast Track and Field Championships in Edison, New Jersey.

The 25-year-old executed his game plan to perfection on the way to winning the 1,500 metres in a personal-best time of 3min 45.63sec in his first appearance at a track meet this year.

“The plan was to hang in second and third and just try to win,” Minors told The Royal Gazette. “I had the third-fastest time going into the race, so I knew if I hung up front I’d get dragged to a fast time.

“The plan was to be in contention and wait until the last lap to make one hard move, which was what I did.

“Each lap that passed I knew I had a big PB coming, so I was staying composed but also getting excited because it felt easy.”

Alec Purnell placed second in 3:47.50 and Tom Cooke in third in 3:49.99 to round off the podium at the meet held on June 23 and 24.

Minors, who kept himself in shape training with Bermuda Half-Marathon Derby champion Chris Estwanik, was running the distance competitively for the first time in nearly two years. But his time fell just shy of the Commonwealth Games qualifying standard of 3:45.0.

“It was my first 1,500 since the Pan American Games in 2019 and I’m very pleased with the result and time,” he added.

“The aim is to qualify for the Commonwealth Games. The standard that the Bermuda National Athletics Association has set is 3:45.0, so to run 3:45.6 puts me in a very good position to get under that.”

The top middle-distance runner is now looking forward to showcasing his talents at the Bermuda Track and Field Championships at the National Stadium on July 9 and 10.

“I am very, very excited to have the opportunity to race in front of people who haven’t seen me run since 2019,” said Minors, who is a multiple Carifta Games medal-winner and the only Bermudian to win the Elite Men’s race in the Front Street Mile.

“It’s a good opportunity to showcase my talents and I am pleased that they were able to have the national championships.”