DAN Studley is targeting a big 2014 after producing two impressive performances over the new year period.

The 22-year-old Oxford Brookes University student won the South West Inter-Counties Cross Country Championships on Sunday.

And this came just seven days after breaking the coveted 30-minute barrier for 10km on the road.

The final year geography student won the south west event, which featured nine counties, by more than one minute, completing the 9km course at Killerton House in Devon in 30mins 50secs.

Having clocked 29.48 to come third in the Ribble Valley 10K, Studley finished 2013 as Britain’s No 3 ranked under 23 athlete for the distance and 18th overall.

“It was my debut over 10k, and it was nice to get under the 30-minute barrier for my first one,” said Studley, whose home club is Bristol & West.

“My training had certainly been pointing to a time around 30.00, but to comfortably break the barrier was great.

“I was helped by perfectly still conditions, and a great field of athletes.

“There were as many as 15 of us at the halfway point, before I pushed away to take third behind GB Internationals Jonny Mellor and Callum Hawkins.”

Studley, who was also Britain’s 12th ranked under 23 athlete over 1,500m last year, is hunting further cross country and track success.

He said: “I’m in my final year at Oxford Brookes, so initially I’d like to place highly for them at the British Universities Cross Country Championships in Stirling on February 1.

“After that the focus is towards the track, where again I’d like to improve on my 800 and 1,500m PBs.

“I would also like be to the fore at the national under 23 championships over 1,500m, as it’s my final year in the age group.”

Studley also trains with Oxford University’s cross country and athletics clubs.

“Oxford is a fantastic place to train and I’m lucky to have every terrain needed right on my doorstep being such a small city,” he said.

“I do a lot of tempo running on the Marston Ferry cycle path and in University Parks.

“A favourite run for the group is over Boars Hills with views across Oxfordshire and back over the city.”