Kent hurdler Jack Green 4th in World Championship semi-final in London
09:30, 07 August 2017
Kent athlete Jack Green could not hide his disappointment after missing out on a place in his first global final in London on Monday night.
The 25-year-old hurdler finished fourth in his semi-finals of the 400m hurdles at the IAAF World Championships at the London Stadium to fall short of a place in Wednesday's final.
The Folkestone-based star was seeking to continue the fine form which saw him crowned British Champion last month and cement a place in the top-10 of the Diamond League rankings but was left with a semi-final exit from the fourth major global games in six years after a less than fluent round in 49.93secs - more than a second behind his season's best of 48.77secs.
Green tried to look at the positives and claimed: "It's the highest I've ever finished. The London Olympics I didn't finish the semi-final, Rio I came last. Here I came fourth, so, I'll take it for that.
"I'm really disappointed though because things have been going so well, but welcome to sport.
"I'm in the best shape of my life but I just didn't quite get it. Welcome to 400m hurdles where you have got to get a stride to match your physical condition.
"I hit a few, it's one of those, it's hurdles. It was very blustery but there are no excuses to be made. We are professional athletes, we should be able to change it up. It just wasn't meant to be today."
Green took a year out from athletics in 2013 and battled depression and injury before rediscovering his early promise in the past 12 months or so.
He admitted: "It's been a huge journey for me, I'm obviously very disappointed because I believe there was a strong chance of being a finalist here.
"That was the aim, but that journey - I wasn't running not that long ago, I was taking a full break from everything and now I'm back here and competing for my country which is what it's all about.
"The crowd were amazing. The London 2012 crowd was incredibly loud but here it seems to be a kind of calm and caring noise. The crowd are very educated and genuinely want you to do well. Love it."
Green expects to compete again this season but immediately turned his attention to the next major World competition next April.
He added: "The Commonwealths in Australia are next year so I'll be picking myself up to try and do well at that."
Maidstone-born Green had produced a strong run in his heat on Sunday and was vying for the lead with Frenchman Mamadou Kasse Hann when he clattered into the eighth hurdle on the bend into the final straight and eventually qualified as a fastest loser in 49.55secs.
Folkestone-based Green also reached the semi-finals in Daegu in 2011 but did not compete in Moscow in 2013 or Beijing in 2015 due to illness and injury.
Green also reached the semi-finals of the London 2012 Olympics and Rio last summer.
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