Injury-hit decathlete Dean Macey could return to action at next month's Hexham international meeting as he attempts to qualify for this summer's Olympic Games.

The 26-year-old has not competed since winning a bronze medal at the 2001 World Championships but must soon achieve a score of 7700 points if he is to participate in Athens.

"We do not want to rush Dean back," said coach Greg Richards. "He's running, but he doesn't need to run flat out to qualify.

"I'm confident he could fall over and still make the B standard of 7700 points. But I just hope he wouldn't have a rush of blood to the head and run too hard."

The Hexham combined events meeting takes place on July 17 and 18.

Published Thursday June 17, 2004

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