DALE GARLAND faces a hernia operation as his European Championship dream hit the buffers. Garland ran through the pain barrier in finishing fourth in the 400m hurdles at the Norwich Union European Trials and AAAs Championships in Manchester at the weekend.

Yesterday, an MRI scan confirmed he needs surgery to remedy a problem which has wrecked his hopes of a place in the Great Britain team at next month’s European Champion-ships in Gothenburg.

Not only that, he is now a big doubt for the Blue Islands Challenge Cup at Foote’s Lane on 28 August, the biggest track and field event ever to be staged in the island and featuring UK giants Birchfield Harriers and Woodford Green with Essex Ladies.

Garland was nearly a second-and-a-half outside his lifetime best in Manchester where had he matched his PB of 49.85, it would have given him another national championship silver medal.

As he headed over the Pennines to Leeds for the scan which would determine the extent of his ambitions for the rest of the season, the Channel Islands’ top athlete expressed his frustration at his first serious injury and one which has bothered him most of the season.

‘I came second with 51.1 two years ago [the same as he clocked on Sunday] but I should have been running loads quicker. Coming out of the blocks, I was in pain.

‘I haven’t been able to train properly for six or seven weeks, so that [fourth place] was a fair representation of where I’m at now.

‘But it wasn’t the pain that made me run badly, it was the lack of training.’

Garland said that the chance of another AAAs medal persuaded him to race when perhaps he should not have.

‘I could have chosen not to go as I ran what was pretty much what I thought I would. I tried to get that medal but just didn’t have the fitness.’

Speaking again a few hours later, the athlete confirmed the worst and that the scan had highlighted a hernia and the need for surgery in the very near future.

‘I’ll keep training up to the operation and if I don’t have it in the next two weeks I will be able to compete [for Channel Islands AC] in the British Jubilee Cup.

‘Apparently, you can get back to running in six weeks.’

The surgery will be done in the UK.

Lee Merrien was also in action in Manchester, finishing eighth of 14 starters in the second semi-final of the 1,500m in 3min. 47.33sec.