Charlie Devall Grice was just a few metres away for a medal in the Commonwealth Games 1500 metre final on the Gold Coast on Saturday in one of the best runs of his career.
Charlie Da’Vall Grice (Brighton Phoenix) placed an agonising fourth in a highly competitive 1500m final won by Kenya’s Elijah Manangoi in 3:34.78.
The 24-year-old Brighton man took up the perfect position on the first couple of laps, sitting in with a pack that allowed Kenyan duo Elijah Manangoi and Timothy Cheruiyot dictate the pace.
It was on the third lap that moves started to be made and by the bell, Da’Vall Grice found himself in a position to attack with the chasing pack.
Only with 150 metres remaining did Scotland’s Jake Wightman break clear decisively, as the Team England man finished in a strong 3:37.86 to Wightman’s 3:335.97.
Grice said “Its fourth place, no one wants to come fourth,” “You’ve got nothing to show for your efforts. I tried to be really relaxed for the first half, but I just didn’t have enough. My speed is getting there, but there’s a way to go. I might have just scraped the European qualifying time, so that’s something.”
I think Grice does not do himself justice he ran a sensible race and was only a bit short of speed to attack Wightman over the final two hundred metres.
He should feel fairly pleased and this run will set him up well for the forthcoming track season and European championships later this season.
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