Hanigan is firmly focussed on the Commonwealth Games in September, and sports news editor MARTIN GILMOUR spoke to him this week.Like every athlete, Brendan Hanigan has a dream, a burning ambition that makes some sense of all the training, heartbreak and pain.

Hanigan's dream is to run the perfect 800m, which at face value sounds pretty simple.

But when you consider that Hanigan has been running competitively over that distance for 13 years, you can see he is a tough judge.

During the past six years most people would identify the name Brendan Hanigan with injury and disappointment.

He has certainly had far more than his fair share of both with a series of calf and achilles tendon strains that have plagued a career on the verge of greatness.

It has cost him the ultimate, competing in the Olympics, and at times he admits it has cost him his sanity.

But this summer has been different.

A new training regime with long-time coach Kevin Prendergast, minimal injuries and Hanigan is back consistently running world-class times.

The 24-year-old laboratory scientist with the Clarence Council has set his sights on several goals including the Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur in September and the Australian 800m record of 1.44.4 set by Ralph Doubell in winning the Olympic gold medal in Mexico in 1968.

But this afternoon at 2.55 at Melbourne's Olympic Park, Hanigan will have just one thing on his mind _ the Australian title.

"All I want at the moment is the Australia title, that's my priority, but the way the heats are scheduled it will be difficult to run a really quick time in the final," he said.

"The final grand prix meeting will be held in Brisbane the following weekend, and if all goes according to plan I might go for a quick time then.''

Hanigan's best time for 800m is 1.45.03, set in Finland in 1994, which is the same year he won his only Australian title.

His best time this summer is 1.45.74, which ranks him in the top six in the Commonwealth.

"Breaking 1.45.00 would be sensational and I think the Australian record is within my reach if I can maintain an injury-free training cycle.''

Hanigan said that longer repetitions on the track, 300-600m, had been identified as one of the causes of his leg injuries so his training was now centred around 200m.

The additional sprint work also seems to have rekindled the famous Hanigan kick, which has led to some impressive finishes this season.

"I'm actually trying to work hard on maintaining my pace during the 400-500m phases of races because some AIS timing of 50m splits showed I was easing off by half a second in this area."

It doesn't sound like much but it appears that I get lulled into the flow of the race rather than pushing through for a better time.''

Hanigan said that he intended to run today's national 800m final as hard as possible to keep the pressure on his rivals and reduce their ability to have something in reserve for the finish.

Tasmanian TIS head coach John Quinn was glowing in his assessment of Hanigan's performances."He really is a super talent, especially when you consider he's running 1.45s with limited long-term training," Quinn said.

"If Brendan can stay injury- free for the next 12 months he will be one of Australia's best athletes."He is clearly superior to Australia's other middle distance runners and he just needs to be able to sustain a high level of training for several months to achieve his potential.''

Quinn said that Hanigan had the right body type and a great turn of speed which suited the 800m.

It will be interesting to see Brendan at the Commonwealth Games because it will be an extremely strong field with the Kenyans dominating.

Hanigan said he was enjoying his running much more at the moment and believes he is living a more rounded life."

After some success in 1994 I became very tough on myself with a strict diet and no life really outside running.

"I now eat pretty much what I want and I might have the occasional beer to celebrate a victory."Hanigan said that the Sydney 2000 Olympics was definitely another goal, although he might switch to the 1500m by then.

"I've run a couple of reasonable 1500m times in the past and I'm keen to explore that option after the Commonwealth Games."

Hanigan said that after so many frustrating years of injury and illness, his current successes were even more enjoyable.