Greene looks to relay after medal miss

Dai Greene is focusing on the relay after missing out in the 400m hurdles
7 August 2012

Dai Greene was hoping for some relay redemption after missing out on an Olympic 400 metres hurdles medal on a night of confusion and despair for Great Britain's athletes.

The world champion and team captain had to settle for fourth place, fatigue catching up with him as he was not quite strong enough to come through at the finish. The Welshman, Britain's athletics team captain, clocked 48.24 seconds, 0.14secs off a medal, as he failed to complete the full set of major championship titles.

Looking ahead to the 4x400m relay, he added: "I'll be available. I'm on my recovery shakes and I'll be going about my business as professionally as I can and make myself available for the squad."

There was also agony for Holly Bleasdale in the pole vault and East Londoner Perri Shakes-Drayton in the semi-finals of the 400m hurdles as the pair, both potential medallists, saw their hopes dashed.

Greene's preparations have been hampered by injury and illness, but was still seen as one of Britain's leading medal prospects going into the Games. Those problems appeared to catch up with him through the three rounds, though, his time well of Felix Sanchez's winning clocking of 47.63s.

"At the start of the race you know you are a bit tired, you give everything but when you come round the top bend you are really hurting," he said. "Any mistake you make is magnified. I was still coming back strongly, just perhaps not as strongly as I have been in a one-off race.

"That's certainly to do with the rounds which took a bit too much out of me. Considering I was fourth in the semi-final, I was fourth tonight and beat some good guys. I was pleased with the way I conducted myself."

Bleasdale fought back tears after her early elimination in the pole vault, the occasion looking like it might be affecting the 20-year-old from Lancashire. Having almost gone out at her opening height of 4.45m, she failed her three attempts at 4.55m, well below her best this summer of 4.71m.

She ended up in sixth place as American Jennifer Suhr took gold.

She said: "I am trying to look at the positives and to finish in the top eight in my first Olympic final is pretty good, but I am just heartbroken with how it went today."

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