Bath Bullet Fails To Fire

Men’s 100m, heats


Gardener pays heavy price as back injury ends his games

Duncan Mackay and Richard Lewis in Melbourne
Monday March 20, 2006
The Guardian

Jason Gardener’s decision not to defend his world indoor 60 metres title and pass up the opportunity of winning $40,000 (£22,770) to concentrate on the Commonwealth Games proved an expensive one at the MCG yesterday as a back injury prevented him from claiming the first individual 100m of his career when he was knocked out in the second round.
England’s athletics captain finished fifth and he was heading home last night for treatment after withdrawing from the 4x100m relay. “Because of the problem with my back, I’ve now also got a hamstring pull and I couldn’t really give it everything,” said Gardener. “Every time I pushed hard, I could feel the hamstring tighten and I had to ease off.”

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There is also a doubt over Christian Malcolm after he also pulled up in the 100m with a hamstring injury. “He felt a twinge - hopefully it is just a twinge and he can make the 200m,” said Wales’s coach Phil Manning. “If it’s anything more we’ll have to leave a decision to the medics.”
Earlier, Liz Yelling and Dan Robinson had won bronze in the marathons. “It’s awesome. I’ve dreamt of it since missing out in Manchester,” said Yelling, fourth in the 10,000m four years ago. Robinson finished behind Samson Ramadhani and Fred Mogaka in 2hr 14min 50sec just a few months after UK Athletics cut his National Lottery funding to nothing.