STAFFORDSHIRE Schools Cross-Country champion David Sheldon is looking forward to competing at the Aviva Young Athletes Indoor Championships at Birmingham this weekend.

The promising 16-year-old City of Stoke AC runner makes the switch indoors with high hopes of setting a new personal best in the 1,500m.

He currently has a best time of 4:06.91, which he set when winning a bronze medal in the under-17s indoor championships last year, which ranked him second in the UK at the time.

But he has moved up to the under-20s age group this year, and he admitted: "The opposition is going to be a lot stronger as some of the athletes are much old than myself.

"But I am looking forward to the race and the occasion will be a good experience.

"I will not go out for a fast time in the heats as my main target is to qualify for the final and then hope to break the four-minute barrier."

Sheldon, who comes from Cheddleton and is studying for his A Levels at Westwood College in Leek, has a best outdoor 1,500m time of 4:00.06.

He also has an 800m best of 1:58.80 recorded when winning an under-20 National Junior League race at Derby.

Before moving into the 2012 outdoor track season Sheldon has one other target, which is to produce a good performance for Staffordshire Schools at the English Schools Cross-Country Championships at Taunton on March 17.

"I am looking forward to the race and the occasion will be a good experience," said Sheldon.

"I am in good shape and training is going well, so I will be looking for at least a top-30 finish."

Coach George Cooper said: "Expectations are high as he has a lot of talent and knows how to use it well.

"He is very competitive and likes a challenge. He is one who thinks about the race and tactics.

"We always discuss tactics before his race and he usually sticks to the plan.

"But if things are not going as planned he adapts very quickly."