Athletics: Wardell fails to qualify in hurdles

Canterbury athlete Rebecca Wardell failed to reach the qualifying standard for the 400m hurdles in her last chance to make the Manchester Commonwealth Games.

Wardell set a New Zealand record of 57.02s on Saturday but could not go better and break the 56.50s mark required after being forced to front up with barely any opposition at an Australian team training camp in Darwin on Wednesday night.

She was clocked at 57.55s after completing most of the journey alone, although an Australian male athlete bound for the world junior championships ran 200m three lanes from her. The qualifying period to make the Games team expires today.