Olympic dream lasts less than an hour for Team GB shot putter Carl Myerscough

Great Britain shot putter Carl Myerscough waited 12 years for his Olympic dream to become reality.

It lasted less than an hour.

The 32-year-old, who was handed the chance to compete in London when the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban for drug cheats was overturned earlier this year, could only finish a lowly 29th in qualifying today.

His best throw of 18.95 metres was more than a metre down on his season's best as he failed to make the final.

"It's not exactly how you dream and prepare for it to go, but I'm just very glad I got to partake in this," said Myerscough, who served a two-year ban for testing positive for anabolic steroids in 1999.

He was a beneficiary of the same legal ruling which has allowed sprinter Dwain Chambers and cyclist David Millar to compete at the Games, although his lower profile meant he did not attract nearly as much attention.

"Maybe if I had relaxed a little more, but I'll have a lifetime to reflect on that," he added.

The Lancashire-born athlete, who is now based in California, missed the Olympics in 2000, 2004 and 2008 due to his doping ban and was disappointed, having finally got a chance on the big stage, not to have risen to the occasion.

"It was a once in a lifetime feeling out there," he added.

"I just didn't get one together, it's very frustrating. I'm massively disappointed because I was in great shape.

"But it's fantastic to be here, it was an amazing experience to compete out there.

"The atmosphere out there is unbelievable and I'm all the more disappointed because I felt probably the best I ever have in a competition."

PA