ESSEX law firm Birkett Long is sponsoring Colchester athlete Louis Persent in his efforts to reach this year’s World Championships in Moscow.

The 22-year-old 400 metres runner missed out on last year’s Olympics following an injury but, after undergoing surgery, he is now again targeting a place in the Great Britain squad.

Birkett Long has contributed £500 to help fund a warm-weather training regime for Louis in Tenerife.

Louis said: “I’m currently training for the World Championships and I want to be one of the three Great British athletes competing in the 400m but I need to improve my time by approximately half a second.

“I am incredibly grateful for Birkett Long’s support as the money has helped pay for a warm-weather training camp in Tenerife which gave me the opportunity to eat, sleep and breathe my training regime, away from work and other distractions.”

Louis is also training for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next year and is hopeful that he will be selected for Team GB in the Olympics in Rio in 2016.

Birkett Long business development director David Cant said: “We are committed to playing a major role in our local community and sponsoring promising young athletes like Louis forms an important part of this.

“As we have seen with the Olympics last year, sport has the power to inspire people to achieve great things, and so we are very proud to be sponsoring Louis. We wish him the very best of luck for the World Championships and beyond.”

Birkett Long, which has offices in Colchester, Chelmsford and Basildon, has sponsored a number of Essex athletes and sporting organisations including Basildon 800m runner Gemma Kersey, Colchester Rugby Club and Colchester & East Essex Cricket Club.