Athletics: Macey's decathlon dream shattered

Dean Macey was yesterday forced to give up his dream of winning decathlon gold in front of his home crowd at the Commonwealth Games.

The Essex athlete, who won bronze at the World Championships in Edmonton and finished fourth at the Sydney Olympics, has pulled out because of hamstring trouble. Last week he tore the muscle again and his coaching team have decided not to risk him for the Games or the European Championships in Munich.

Macey has been replaced by 22-year-old Anthony Sawyer, a Royal Marine reservist, from Romford.

"The prospect of winning my first senior gold medal in front of my home crowd was a dream for me and one that I knew was in my grasp," said Macey, who, on current form, was at least 500 points better than the next best decathlete at the Commonwealth Games.

"It's hard to put into words how disappointed I feel, but I am a professional sportsman," he said. "I've got to deal with this, get myself sorted and get on with the job."

Macey has been troubled by the injury since the spring and it forced him to cut short his warm weather training in California. He has been undergoing regular and intensive treatment which disrupted his preparations, but it has failed to solve the problem.

* The cyclist Michelle Ferris, who won a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics, has been forced out of Australia's team because of hamstring and knee problems. Her place will be taken by the Australian road time trial champion Sara Carrigan.