Pain in the neck costs Caine final spot (From Keighley News)

Pain in the neck costs Caine final spot

11:20am Thursday 25th June 2009

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James Caine admitted he was “gutted” after an ongoing neck problem cost him a place in the Northern Athletics Championships senior 100-metre final.

The Haworth sprinter was winning his heat at Manchester’s SportCity venue when the pain struck and he dropped to third spot.

That meant he just missed out on qualification with a time of 11:35sec behind Hull’s Luke Giblin and Liverpool Harriers’ Thomas Riley.

Caine said: “My coach said I was doing fantastic for the first 70-80 metres.

“Then I felt a twinge in my neck and it threw me off balance. I was absolutely gutted as I was in control.

“I even looked across and saw Luke and Tom behind me.”

The 19-year-old had aggravated the injury in training during the week prior to the event but had felt no reaction in the warm-up.

Gateshead Harriers’ Richard Kilty won the final in 10.70 ahead of Andrew Robertson in 10.90.

Caine added: “Richard ran a fast time, which I expected, but I reckon I could have given Andrew a run for his money.”

After treatment this week, the Bingley Harrier felt good enough to compete in the Trafford Open in Manchester and clocked 11.4sec to claim victory.

Having got through that without trouble from his neck, Caine will compete in the Great Britain Under-23 trials at Bedford this weekend.

He said: “I had no reaction and my mobility was good.

“Competition will be fierce this weekend and it will be physically impossible to compete with guys running 10.1 “But hopefully I might be able to make a personal best.”

James Dasalou, who has clocked the second fastest time in the country this year, is due to compete in the trials.

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