By Ben Baker

LEWISHAM’S James Ellington went through more than most athletes just to be at London 2012 having auctioned himself on eBay in order to fund his dream.

But he couldn’t help but think he had stood in someone else’s way as his fairytale ended in disaster with an early exit in the 200m heats.

The 26-year-old nearly gave up the sport when he struggled with money, but after auctioning himself off sponsorship money from Gilette enabled him to take the startline in the capital.

But this is as good as it got for the 26-year-old could only manage a time of 21.23s in his heat.

It was his slowest time since 2010 and good enough for just sixth.

This means all of Ellington’s hard work this year just to reach London 2012 was over in a flash, but it wasn’t himself that he was feeling sorry for but instead his compatriots who were left watching on.

“I don't know what to say except for that was rubbish,” Ellington said.

“That's the slowest race I've run this year and I am baffled as there is no explanation for it.

“Everything was going OK in the warm-up, I just came off the bend with no gas left.

“Normally the bend is a strong part of my race.

“I came off and there are three or four guys ahead of me and I’m not used to that.

“From there I thought something’s going wrong.

“I've had no major problems, so I'm just gutted.

“People like Danny Talbot have been in great form, and I feel like I’ve taken someone else’s place and let the team down.

“I usually rise to occasions, so I thought I’d run a personal best in the first round. I don’t have a clue what happened.”

The Olympic Stadium has already lived up to its billing as a fast track, with Usain Bolt setting a new Games record in his 100m final.

And having secured his spot by winning the trials with a time of 20.56s, Ellington headed to the capital believing he could produce even more.

But instead he is left searching for answers as to exactly what happened.

“From the previous times I ran in the trials - 20.5s at Birmingham, not a notoriously quick track - I thought I would definitely come here 100 per cent, I could have bet my life I would PB in that heat,” he added.

“I truly believed the kind of shape I came into the Games that I could make the final and I have no idea what has happened.”

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