Richard Goodman has secured a coveted athletic scholarship at the University of Oregon, and will take it up on Monday.

Oregon University is recognised as a centre of athletic excellence, and its head coach Vin Lananna was also head coach for Team USA at last year’s World Athletics Championships.

Goodman, 18, will be rooming and training with the other current foreign signing, Freddy Ovett, son of former Olympic champion Steve Ovett.

Goodman, who has spent most of this year training in Kenya, said: “I will be taking a four-year degree course.

At this stage I think I may major in Human Physiology, but there will be the flexibility to change. Athletics will take priority and I will be able to train twice a day. It is a very exciting prospect."