Beagles marathon runner Lee Merrien

Joshua Richards, joshua.richards@archant.co.uk Friday, April 27, 2012 4:00 PM

Lee Merrien could not hide his disappointment after falling agonisingly short of the Olympic marathon qualifying time despite clocking a new personal best at the Virgin London Marathon on Sunday.

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Needing to run inside two hours 12 minutes to secure his place at London 2012, Merrien was the first British male over the finish line and 17th overall.

But the Newham & Essex Beagles athlete, who turns 33 this week, finished in 2:13.41 after slowing in the final stages and missed out on selection.

If it had been a non-Olympic year Id have been happy with a personal best, but it is and a personal best was not my only target, he said.

Read more:
Personal best is no consolation for Merrien in tough London marathon