SOUTHEND star Adam Hickey has enjoyed a week to remember after securing two 5,000m victories in quick succession.

Hickey, 28, won gold at the South of England Championships last weekend before following that up with another win in Watford on Wednesday which saw him run the second fastest time of his career.

And Hickey – who is chasing a spot in next month’s European Championships - believes he is now in shape to beat his personal best time of 13 minutes 41 seconds which has stood since 2013.

“It’s been a good few days for me and I’m happy to have got the victories but I feel as though there’s a personal best in there for me now,” said Hickey.

“I wasn’t actually going to run in Watford before my coach (Eamonn Martin) spoke to someone at the weekend and I nearly didn’t go because I hadn’t been feeling too well.

“It just goes to show you can still run well when you’re not really feeling your best but I think there’s more to come if I can get into a fast race.”

Hickey ran 13:53 to triumph in Watford but the victory came just three weeks after a harrowing experience in the Highgate 10km.

The former Southend High School pupil had been looking to dip below 29 minutes after running a personal best over the longer distance in Brighton.

But his hopes were hit by an asthma attack during the race.

“It’s something that hasn’t happened to me before and it really did hit my confidence,” said Hickey. “I had a sickness bug after that too so to be able to come back quickly and run well again has been great.

“My next target is to get the qualifying time for the European Championships which is 13:35 and I definitely think that’s possible now.”

Hickey was not the only south-Essex athlete celebrating gold at the South of England Championships as Canvey’s Dale Clutterbuck won the 800m in 1:51:14 and Stanford-le-Hope’s Hayley McLean won the 400m hurdles, running 59.57 seconds. Southend’s Billy Praim-Singh also won bronze in the under-20 hammer final, throwing 58.56m.