Preston runner Helen Pattinson failed in her bid to reach the World Athletics Championship 1500m final, writes David Jones.

The old cliche that championship middle-distance races are not about fast times but fast finishes proved only too true for the Preston Harriers athlete.

For Helen, it just didn't happen.

Although she finished as one of the fastest losers in the first round, she faded on the last lap of that race, and later admitted that she would have to pull her socks up for the semi-final.

The next day, running in the first semi-final Helen looked comfortable for the first couple of laps.

Able to hold her own in a brisk pace that seemed right for her, she led for most of the second and third laps.

But on the final lap the other athletes surged past and she was swallowed up by the rest of the field.

Although on the top bend Helen avoided two fallers she was just too far back at that stage. She came home ninth in a time of 4:16.39 - a time way outside her personal best of 4:04.

Helen just couldn't live with pace on the last lap and failed to make the final by some margin.

Nevertheless the race itself and the fact of being at the competition will have been an excellent experience for her and should stand her in good stead for the future if she learns the lessons from her defeat.