Kyle Langford retained his 800m Under-20 national title in impressive fashion on Sunday but the Watford runner has already set his sights on a bigger prize this summer.

The 19-year-old, who is trained by George Harrison, did what was expected of him at Bedford athletics stadium at the weekend and ensured his place at the European Junior Championships next month.

But it is the British Championships, held in two weeks in Birmingham, which Langford has his eyes on.

A good performance in the Midlands could result in selection for Team GB for the IAAF World Championships in China later this year.

“That is going to be a huge competition for me,” Langford said on Wednesday. “I’d love to go to Beijing and compete against some of the best 800m runners in the world.

“It won’t be easy to get there and I would have to run at my best to even be in with a chance. But I am running really well at the moment though, and am feeling really good in myself.”

It is little surprise. Langford only started competing in athletics in 2011 but has quickly risen to prominence as one of the United Kingdom’s most promising middle distance runners.

The Shaftesbury Barnet Harriers athlete, who lives in Garston, knows he is improving and believes he will only get better and better.

He explained: “I feel that over the course of this year I have taken a big step forward in my development. I am always improving.

“I also haven’t entered too many competitive races this year but I am running better than ever before.

“I don’t need to be running every weekend, that won’t benefit me now to be honest.

“It is better we choose the races and then prepare properly for the big events.

“But I am feeling so confident in myself and I think I can make the step up from the juniors to the seniors.”

Amongst his current age group – the Under-20s – Langford has demonstrated his dominance. Clinching his second national title has set him up for July’s European Junior Championships and he is confident of bringing home another medal from Sweden.

He said: “At the weekend I was favourite to win and I felt that I should win. There was a little bit of pressure on me in that sense.

“I had a lot of belief and was confident though. You always have that little bit of doubt but I knew if I ran well I would finish first.

“I’m going to Sweden to get a medal, no question,” Langford added. “I know that if I am at my best and in good form I have a chance of winning.

“Obviously that won’t be easy and I am not one of the favourites for the race, partly after what happened at the World Junior Championships last year were I finished eighth in the final after having an illness.

“If I had done better at that event I would be going to Sweden with more expectation on me.

“I should be one of the favourites and I am running so much better than last year. I want to come back with a medal.”

Langford was expected to be competing in his native Watford this weekend at the British Milers Club event at Woodside on Saturday.

He is still hopeful of taking to the track but injury may prevent him running in front of a home crowd.

He said: “I was planning to but I am not sure at the moment because my hamstring was a bit tight in the warm-up at the weekend and I don’t want to risk it with what I’ve got coming up.

“I’d like to run in Watford again but I am not sure it’s possible. We’ll have to wait and see how it goes this week.”