St Mary's University's Charlie Grice says it's his time to rule the roost this year after claiming a fantastic victory in Zlatà Tretra IAAF World Challenge men's mile last Thursday in Ostrava, Czech Republic, writes Ziad Chaudry.

It looked very much Michael Kibet was heading for a clear victory on a heavily rain-drenched Mêstsky Stadium track until 25-year-old Grice produced a last gasp charge from 90m and overtook the Kenyan on the line by a stride in 3:56.95.

The ongoing perseverance finally paid off for the Twickenham-based middle distance specialist who overcame a series of injuries that dented his indoor season earlier in the year.

"It's my time now," said a delighted Grice, a two-time British outdoor 1500m champion, who overcame a strongly-assembled field. "I'm a world class athlete now and I'm starting to believe it.

"I've had a messed up winter. I tore both my hip flexes came back then took a month off at the end of the season. I had to lay off for a month then I torn my plantar fascia.

"I couldn't do the European Indoors so I had to pull out of that after running a savage 3k beating Andrew Butchart and doing really well in that.

"I was in a boot camp for eight weeks after indoors. I worked my butt every day, I was in the pool everyday cycling, kept hope I was going to have a good season this year."

Richmond and Twickenham Times:

Kibet clocked 3:57.01 while USA's Ben Blankenship as third with 3:57.27.

And Grice will hope this performance will earn him a few more entries on the lucrative IAAF Diamond League circuit during the next couple of months.

"It's just nice to start to get rewarded," he continued. "It's all that hard work, it's a long season but I feel I'm not even at my best yet and it's just like exciting times.

"As soon as the weather started raining and stuff is just win. All I can do is to go into each race wanting to win and the time will come. I'm now hoping that now I get a shot at Lausanne or Monaco because I feel I deserve it and I know I can run a PB."

Team GB regular Grice was impressed with the facilities at the 15,000 capacity Mêstsky Stadium, which is used regularly during the Czech football season by city rivals top flight side FC Banik Ostrava and FC Vìtkovice.

"It's a really good stadium for athletics so I'm glad I've really came out for this," praised Grice. "I never been here before. Just the perfect amount of seats for an athletics stadium."