Dean Macey (GBR) pole vaulting in Hexham (© Getty Images)
The last occasion Britain’s former double World medallist Dean Macey made his way around an athletics track he was in pain, somehow finishing the Decathlon 1500 metres at the World Championships in Edmonton where his performance brought a bronze medal.
Not since that August day in Canada in 2001 had he appeared. But now, a matter of weeks before the Olympic Games open in Athens, one of the world’s leading, and perhaps forgotten, multi-eventers is back.
The British competitor confirmed his place in the Olympic team with his first Decathlon - let alone competition - since Edmonton in the North East market town of Hexham in England against a number of internationals chasing their own qualifying marks at the weekend (17/18 July) and now he is ready to take himself to another level in Athens.
Just getting there
He scored 7842, a total that, for now, would not worry the likes of Tom Pappas, the World champion, one of the main favourites for gold in Greece. Except, figures can be deceiving and what Macey did in Hexham was the minimum he needed to gain the B qualifying standard of 7700.
"There are three weeks or so to go before the Games and now I can plan ahead," said Macey, 26. "Reaching the Olympics was about that - just getting there. The important thing for me now is to be ready for Athens and then I will attempt to squeeze out every single point that is possible.
"I am sure there is more left in me, but the great thing is to be back. You wonder when you are out for so long whether, or when, you will compete again and to have that feeling is fantastic."
In Edmonton, as Dvorak, of the Czech Republic, won with 8902, Macey was third with 8603, a personal best and a championship where he ended with strapping around a leg. It was very much the same in Hexham. He wore tights for most of the 10 events and when he took them off to run the 400m, his left leg had a bandage around it.
But he did not suffer a problem and though he admitted gold or silver would be too much to contemplate, he felt that a bronze medal could be a worthy target to chase.
1999 World silver
Macey sprang from virtual obscurity to finish with the silver medal in the Decathlon at the World Championships in Seville in 1999, the first time a British decathlete had a played a part on the major international stage since the retirement of Daley Thompson, the double Olympic champion and former world record holder, seven years earlier.
He has always been prone to injury and in this final chance to qualify, he chose to do all that was required of him to make the British team.
Low key return
It was a setting about as different as it possibly could be from the massive Olympic arena that will face him next month. In Hexham, little more than 100 spectators were present for the two days of competition that began with Macey finishing third in his heat of the 100 metres in 11.43 to give him 767 points, just the sort of start he was looking for.
His plan was to produce one jump or throw and hope they would be good enough and when he moved across to the other side of the track he delivered as he hoped.
His first long jump, where he was looking for seven metres, took him 7.77m, 893 points, and then he threw the shot 15.18 for 801. It was the second best effort of his career and he was not even happy with it. Macey said: "I suppose that is a good thing because if my technique was not great then it shows there is room for improvement."
“Greece here I come”
As his confidence was growing, he cleared 1.85m, 1.92m and then 1.95m in the high jump, for 758, before winning his heat of the 400m in 50.47m, for 793, and a halfway score of 4012.
He was roaring his way to the Olympic Games and on the second day he started even better, first in his race in the 110m hurdles in 14.88, much faster than he anticipated, and 864, before his discus throw went 46.22m, for 792.
The pole vault brought another 731, as he went over 4.40m, and he stopped at that point, reserving energy for the javelin where with one throw he scored 669 with 55.42m. It meant a 1500m of around 4:47 was needed, a stroll almost for a man who excels at this final event and he qualified with a run of 4:25.56 to win the race and the overall competition.
Macey added: "Greece here I come. It has gone just as I hoped and I am feeling good. It has been a long time since Dean Macey the athlete has been out there and now I cannot wait for the Olympics."
