Shane: I'm devastated at missing Olympics (From Southend Standard)

James Shane: I'm devastated at missing Olympics

11:12am Tuesday 26th June 2012 in Sport By Chris Phillips

JAMES Shane has spoken of his sadness at having to miss this summer’s Olympic Games.

The 22-year-old, from Basildon, competed in the 1,500m at the World Championships last year.

But a slight calf tear has ruled him out of running in London.

“I’m devastated about it if I’m honest and I wasn’t able to watch the trials on television over the weekend because it would just have been too painful for me,” said Shane, a former Mayflower School pupil.

“I picked up the injury in training and it is starting to heal and improve.

“I’m hopeful of still being able to have some kind of season this year because there’s still plenty of time to get a few races in.

“However, it’s unfortunate for me that I won’t be ready for the Olympics or the European Championships.”

Shane had been hoping to build on a tremendous 2011 season, which saw him win the national championship, place third on his senior international debut at the European Team Championships and win silver at the European Under-23 Championships.

He followed that up by running at the senior World Championships in Daegu, South Korea.

But Shane is hopeful of running at the Rio de Janeiro Games in 2016.

“I am still young and have time to make at least one more Olympics in my career, maybe even two,” said Shane.

“Injuries are part and parcel of any sport and it’s how you come back from them that matters.

“It’s really bad timing and of course I would’ve loved to have run in London at a home Olympics.

“But it’s not to be and I have to look beyond that now and target other championships that are coming up in the future.”