WEYMOUTH St Paul’s Harrier Kevin Archer took a superb 1,500m silver in the men’s 65-69 age group at the World Masters Athletics Championship in Malaga, Spain.

After blitzing the start, Archer quickly diminished the 16-man field to what was effectively a two-man race, with Irish rival Joe Gough.

Gough, who had already won the 800m title, tracked Archer and in a lung-bursting finale overhauled the Dorset athlete in the home straight, with Archer claiming the third-fastest British men’s 65-69 time ever in 4:50.98.

Archer had also elected to compete in the steeplechase, but fell on the second lap at the water jump, drenching himself and leading to his exit from the race.

His second-best event, the 800m, ended in disappointment when finishing fourth in a time of 2:21.66, just 0.36 seconds off bronze and 0.66 off the British record.

Starting at a high pace from the outside lane to combat the 400m runners in the field, Archer later paid for his early efforts as he narrowly missed out on the medals.

Speaking to Echosport, Archer said: “I was really chuffed with it. In the (1,500m) final everything worked out perfectly.

“Right from the start, I just went. The one way to beat the Irish guy is to try and draw his kick out of him. I made a 16-runner field a two-man race.

“I only ever saw him when he came by me with 80m to go.”

Meanwhile, the extraordinary Dot Fraser, a breast cancer survivor, competed in the sprint events at Malaga, but failed to take a medal despite some highly creditable performances.

Racing in the women’s 80-84 class, Fraser recorded respective times of 21.88 and 46.71 in the 100 and 200m to claim sixth and fifth, before taking fourth in the 400m in a time of 1:58.86.