Scottish distance runner Andrew Lemoncello is dropping his specialist steeplechase event in order to pursue a long-held ambition to compete in the marathon.

The Colorado based 26-year-old, who trains in the Rocky-region of the US in order to gain running experience at high-altitude, is concentrating in the longer event as he bids to make the GB squad for the London Olympics three years from now.

The Fifer has represented GB at the highest level in the steeplechase, at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2007 World Championships in Japan.

Despite winning bronze at the 2008 European Championships, Lemoncello has struggled to make an impact against the dominant Africans, so is now focusing his efforts elsewhere.

I've not completely given up on the steeplechase," he told the BBC.

"But the disappointing performance in Beijing made me focus more on my calling, which is longer distances."

Speaking exclusively to ITWZ in 2007, Lemoncello predicted this moment would come sooner or later: “I’ll be starting to move into marathons by 2012.  10ks and half marathons are the background I come from. My 2012 aim is always going to be the marathon, but I’ll probably move up to it by 2010.”