Mark Dry was left to plead his case to be selected for London 2012 after he failed to qualify outright at the European Championships in Helsinki.

The hammer thrower could only manage a best effort of 70.27m from his three throws, leaving him 25th overall when only the top 12 went through to Saturday’s final.

The 24 year old went to Finland knowing that a throw of 78m or more, the Olympic qualifying A standard, would guarantee him a place in London this summer.

But having failed to produce his best on the big occasion Dry took some comfort from the experience he gained in Helsinki.

“That was a frustrating competition,” he said. “I actually feel really good so it’s a little bit confusing, a great experience, just a bit frustrating.

"I’m in good shape but it has been a long season. That result is pretty disappointing – I could have had a good result, it only took 72-and-a-half to make the final and I have thrown more than that on many occasions this season.”

The selectors for London 2012 have stated that only one hammer thrower will go to London this summer, meaning it is a straight shoot-out between Dry and England’s Alex Smith.

Both have thrown the Olympic B standard this season, Dry having done it on four occasions, while Smith has done it just the once.

But that one occasion was the all-important one, coming as it did at the Olympic trials in Birmingham.

And Dry admits that the confusion over selection has left him tearing his hair out.

“I don’t understand why they can’t select both of us,” he added.

“It’s a shame, Alex is a good friend of mine and I've no wish to speak badly of him but I’ve shown much more consistency throughout the season.

“But then Alex did beat me when it counted and he threw the B standard so it’s up in the air. I would love the chance to compete at a home games but if Alex throws over 74 in his last event this weekend the place is his.”

Meanwhile, fellow Woodford Green with Essex Ladies member Shana Cox questioned the standard of track officiating as Great Britain's 4x400m quartet failed to medal at the European Championships in Helsinki.

Cox and Scot Lee McConnell joined forces with former world medallist Nicola Sanders and Eilidh Child but were left cursing how their race had been managed.

Child ran the anchor leg and couldn't quite overhaul bronze medallists the Czech Republic as France took silver and the Ukraine gold.

However, both queried how the race had been run - track officials presiding over chaotic scenes at the handovers.

"We could easily have had a handful disqualified, if you look at my changeover, we were swapping and moving and you're not allowed to do that," said Cox.

"In my years of relay racing that was by far the messiest one I have ever been involved in.”

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