Decathlete Dean Macey has been forced to admit defeat in his quest to win an Olympic medal for the first time.
Groin injury hampers Olympic bid
Decathlete Dean Macey has been forced to admit defeat in his quest to win an Olympic medal for the first time.
The Canvey Island veteran, who has finished fourth in each of the last two Games, claimed victory in the Hexham Combined Events International but his points total of 7,491 fell short of both the 'A' and 'B' standards required to book his place in Beijing.
Macey sustained a groin injury in Saturday's long jump, the second of the 10 disciplines, which hampered him for the rest of the competition, and admitted afterwards he is reaching the end of the road.
"The past two days have been the biggest journey I've been through in my athletics career," said the 30-year-old.
"We came here hoping to get the 8,000 points but knowing that even if I managed 7,800 I wouldn't go to Beijing.
"There's no way I could find another 200 or more points in such a short time. I'm out of the equation now.
"What happened out there the past two days is unreal. I've had loads of treatment to keep me going, you start a decathlon, you finish a decathlon.
"Unfortunately, in the second round of the long jump I picked up a strain in the groin and though I finished the day on a good points score I knew it was going to be a battle on Sunday.
"I now need to make a decision regarding my future. In the next week or two I'll make an announcement."
The selectors could pick 20-year-old Daniel Awde for the decathlon in Beijing despite the Woodford Green athlete pulling out after seven rounds in Hexham.
Awde has already achieved the Olympic 'B' standard.
