James Dasaolu tried but failed to hide his disappointment after failing to deliver on his target at the World Championships in London.
The men’s 100m will always be remembered as the race Usain Bolt didn’t win but, in sport, as in life, all things are relative.
And Dasaolu was just as devastated as the eight-time Olympic champion, who settled for bronze in a race won by two-time drug cheat Justin Gatlin.
He finished fifth in his semi-final in a time of 10.22 seconds, a time way off his 10.06 season’s best on the same track at the recent Anniversary Games.
Indeed the 29-year old has run quicker eight times this year, including his second place at the team trials in Birmingham.
“I got a good start and was with the field but it just wasn’t there for me in those final few metres,” said the Croydon Harrier.
“I’m so disappointed because the times were slow. If you’d have told me at the beginning of the year that I’d need to run 10.10 to make the world final, I’d have bitten your hand off.
“I’m just gutted I’ve not grabbed this opportunity but I need to stay upbeat and remember that I’m making some big changes.
“I’ve changed coaches and I think I’ve got a lot more to give for the next few years in the sport.
“I know I’ll have another chance but this will be the only World Championships in London I’ll ever get to run and that’s just really crushing.
“Maybe I was too tense, too tight and the pressure was too much, so there are some things to analyse.”
However, Dasaolu – who is now coached by Lloyd Cowan after leaving Steve Fudge’s training group – vowed to bounce back in the 4x100m relay later this week.
He was part of the British quartet that won gold at last year’s European Championships in Amsterdam and believes the home team have what it takes to challenge the dominance of Jamaica and the United States.
“Relay training has been going really well and the boys are up for it,” he said.
“Anything can happen, especially with this crowd behind us.”
Also focussing on the relay is team veteran and fellow Harrier Martyn Rooney, after his 45.75 time ranked him sixth in his 400m heat at the London Stadium.
The former European champion admitted his performance was ‘sluggish’ and will now reset his focus on the 4x400m, looking to add to the world silver and bronze he won in that event in 2009 and 2015.
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“No excuses, that was nowhere near good enough,” he said.
“It was tough but it is the World Championships so every round is going to be tough.
“I really wanted to go out there and enjoy the experience.
“I had a nice pacemaker in LaShawn Merritt on the outside of me, but it would have been nice to have held onto him a bit more.
“I’m an honest guy, and this is where I’m at. I’ve maybe got two or three tenths more in me but that’s it.
“The relay is the focus now and the boys have been training well, it won’t be easy but we’ll be giving it everything.”
You can help the next generation of young British athletes by getting involved in SportsAid Week this September with London 2012 hero Greg Rutherford MBE. Find out more about how you can support the week of fun and fundraising by visiting www.sportsaid.org.uk/sportsaidweek.
