Canvey based decathlete Dean Macey will compete in this summer's Olympic Games after reaching the B standard qualifying mark at Hexham yesterday.
The injury hit 26-year-old finished the two day competition with 7,842 points and admitted he was now fully focused on being even fitter for Athens.
"I'm back," declared Macey. "The score doesn't reflect the shape I'm in.
"I felt I did pretty well even though I probably left 400 points out on the track.
"A score of 8,300 at the Olympics would be a fairytale story and in Athens I'll be squeezing out every point I can."
Macey, who prior to the weekend, had not competed since the 2001 World Championships in Edmonton, took things easily in the North-East to avoid further problems with his troublesome hamstring.
As a result, he started the opening day with 10.86 seconds in the 100m and 7.33m from his only effort in the long jump.
He recorded 15.18m in the shot and 1.95m in the high jump,before he reached the half way point with 50.47 seconds in the 400m.
Day two began with victory in the 110m hurdles and a competition record 46.22m in the discus.
He then cleared 4.40m in the pole vault before throwing just over 55m with his only mark in the javelin.
The determined decathlete then stopped the clock at 4.25mins in the 1500m to book his place at his second Olympics, after finishing an agonising fourth at the Sydney games in 2000.
Published Monday July 19, 2004
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