DALE GARLAND’S Olympic dreams are on a knife-edge as he has aggravated a hamstring injury that has blighted his career.
The 27-year-old Great Britain athlete (pictured) had hoped to compete at the Beijing Olympics in the 400m hurdles and 4×400m relay.
But the Sarnian looks to have torn his hamstring again and will miss next weekend’s British team trials in Birmingham, near enough saying goodbye to his chances of making the Olympics, which begin 31 days from today.
‘I feel hollow,’ said an emotional Garland yesterday. ‘I’ve been on the go the whole time for years and years [for this]. I can’t go to the trials this weekend and, to be honest, the hamstring is playing up in an unusual way.
‘It could be the usual tear or it could be a neural problem. Everything is up in the air. It’s hurting now. We’ll see how the next couple of days go but it’s not looking good.’
A small tear in his hamstring had prevented him from running in Belgium a couple of weeks ago where he was hoping to reach the Games’ qualifying standard.
The injury then got worse during the week, resulting in him being unable to compete for his club, Birchfield Harriers, in the British Premier League over the weekend.
‘I flared it up a week ago and it went again yesterday when I was doing a slow run,’ he said.
After a good showing at the Spar European Cup in Annecy, France, last month, Garland had looked good to make the 4×400m Great Britain relay team.
To be selected for the 400m hurdles, Garland required at least the B standard time of 49.5sec.
But he was aiming for the A standard of 49.2, which practically ensures selection.
His best so far this summer was 50.2.
Garland is hoping to run at an official event at Loughborough a week on Thursday to try and make the qualifying time a day before the deadline, but he is not hopeful.
‘The chances of being able to run in 10 days don’t look good, but I’m not giving up hope,’ he said.
Article posted on 8th July, 2008 - 2.30pm
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