Shambles in the relays

Mark Lewis-Francis
12 April 2012

Mark Lewis-Francis accepted the blame as Britain's 4x100 metres relay team failed to reach the final of the European Championships in Barcelona.

Leon Baptiste and Craig Pickering gave the British quartet a superb start in this morning's semi-finals in the Olympic Stadium, but the final change between Marlon Devonish and Lewis-Francis was a shambles.

Lewis-Francis, who won silver in the individual 100m on Wednesday, was left with too much ground to catch up and finished fifth, the time of 39.49 seconds not enough to qualify as a fastest loser.

The 27-year-old from Birmingham said: "I'm more devastated for my team-mates than myself because I know how hard they worked to get here. I messed up on the last leg."

There was no better news from the women's team either, Joice Maduaka, Montell Douglas, Hayley Jones and Laura Turner finishing sixth in their semi-final to also miss out on the final.

There was better news for Britain in the men's 4x400m, with Conrad Williams, Graham Hedman, Richard Buck and Rob Tobin cruising into the final by winning their semi-final. Individual silver and bronze medallists Michael Bingham and Martyn Rooney are likely to be brought into the team for the final.

The women's quartet of Nicola Sanders, Vicki Barr, Marilyn Okoro and Lee McConnell also reached the final, finishing second in their semi behind an impressive Russian team.

In the women's marathon, Britain's Michelle Ross Cope finished 14th in two hours 38:45 minutes, seven-and-a-half minutes behind winner Zivile Balciunaite of Lithuania.

Susan Partridge was 16th in 2hrs 39:07mins.

Holly Rush finished 20th and Helen Decker 21st, while Rebecca Robinson and Jo Wilkinson were 24th and 25th respectively.

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