Gavin Brettell qualified for his first European Championship appearance in Sheffield last night - and extended James Parrack's cruel run of near misses in the event. Brettell, 18, from the City of Birmingham, overhauled Parrack over the final quarter in the men's 100 metres breaststroke at the Optrex European Championship trials to guarantee his place in the Great Britain squad for Vienna in August.
For Parrack, who has competed at Olympic, World Championship and Commonwealth level, it meant that he had missed out on his attempt to gain European selection - after narrowly failing in two of his three previous attempts since 1989.
All the winners at the trials are guaranteed selection, plus the runners- up if they are inside a qualifying time. Parrack recorded 1min 04.09sec - 1.37sec outside the necessary time.
Parrack, the 1990 Commonwealth silver medallist, came close afterwards to announcing his retirement.
The City of Leeds 28-year-old said: "At this moment I am fighting against the obvious conclusion to be drawn from that swim."
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