Green thrilled at reaching Rio Success for M&M trio

Jack Green says he has unfinished business at the Olympics after ending four turbulent years by booking his place at the Rio 2016 Games. The 24-year-old Maidstoneborn hurdler crashed out in the semi-finals at London 2012 and has gone through the mill in the following four years, undergoing treatment for depression, taking a year out of the sport, trying his hand at a career in rugby and relaunching his athletics career overseas. It is only in the past month that the former Mid-Kent College student has shown the form which got him to the last Olympics and earned him the European under-23 title and a World Championship semi-final berth the previous year. Green ensured his return to the biggest stage of all by claiming an automatic selection by virtue of his second place in the 400m hurdles final at the British Championships at Birmingham’s Alexander Stadium on Sunday afternoon. After a stumble on the final bend left him trailing well behind leader Seb Rodger, Green stormed down the straight and finished just 0.04secs behind Rodger in 49.49secs. Green admitted: “I’ve definitely got some unfinished business. I’ve barely run in the past four years, I have had my time off.” He added; “Today was a job. Obviously I’d like to win but I don’t care to be honest. I’m going to Rio and that’s what the day was about. After the last four years, it’s nice just to be going.” Although Green ran a qualifying time in the Doha Diamond League in May 2015, he didn’t record a second time of under 49.40 until he passed the mark three times in a week earlier this month racing in Slovakia, Prague and Geneva, where his time of 49.05 was the fastest by a Brit since August 2015. Green had eased to victory in his heat on Saturday afternoon with a time of 50.55, finishing ahead of Richard Yates who also qualified. The heats of the men’s 400m in Rio are on Monday, August 15, with the semifinals the following night and the final on Thursday, August 18. Three athletes from Medway and Maidstone AC are celebrating being selected to represent Kent Schools in the annual English Schools Athletics Championships at the Gateshead International Stadium next weekend. Rainham Mark Grammar School’s Issac Milham and George Blake, along with Imogen Munday, who attends The Rochester Grammar School, train in the same sprints and hurdles training group under coach Steven Munday and will all compete in the 400m hurdles.