Coe's university of runners

Sebastian Coe quit running in 1990

A middle-distance running academy could be created at Loughborough University under the directorship of former Olympic champion Sebastian Coe.

The athlete-turned-politician trained at the university.

Loughborough University would host the privately run residential academy.

Funding would come from the university and Lord Coe, who is personally involved in the project.

World record

It means the academy would not rely on sports lottery funding or money from UK Athletics.

The academy would give young people aged between of 16 and 22 access to some of the top trainers in the sport.

Lord Coe spoke last year about his hopes for a "centre of excellence" that would help improve middle-distance running.

Surprise gold

He trained at the university between 1975 and 1981 and went on to win Olympic gold and become a world record holder.

Lord Coe was rival to Steve Ovett and later Steve Cram and the three runners dominated world middle distance throughout the 1980s.

The plans come after England's Michael East won a surprise Commonwealth gold medal in the 1500-metres in Manchester on Wednesday.