Athlete Reeds the riot act

My Account
Logout

Create an Evening Standard Account

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Welcome! Sign in here

Use your social network

Save time by using your existing account to sign in to Evening Standard

We'll never share your information or post anything to your account without your permission

Forgot your password ?

Registration

* indicates fields that are mandatory

Email *

Password *

Confirm Password *

First name *

Surname *

Postcode *

Country *

Mobile phone number

Username *

Gender *

Year of birth *

When you sign up...

You will have access to all our online competitions, discounted offers and can post comments on our site.

You will also receive The Weekender newsletter sent every Thursday - it’s full of fantastic offers and ideas for the weekend. You can update your email preferences in your account page when you log in.

Other newsletters and emails

Homes & Property Newsletter - Yes I want to receive the weekly email with all the latest news on property in the capital

Occasionally we would also like to send you relevant emails detailing specific offers either from ourselves or carefully selected partners. If you would prefer not to receive these then please tick the appropriate boxes below. We will never pass on your details.

I do not want to receive additional offers and information from the Evening Standard

I do not want to receive additional offers and information sent by Evening Standard on behalf of carefully selected partners

Terms and Conditions

* I have read, understood and agree to be bound by the terms and conditions of Evening Standard

Registration

Mail Sent for Registration Confirmation.

A confirmation email has been sent. Please activate your account by clicking on the activation link sent in your mail box.

Reed was forced to run a 2km time trial on Thursday night to prove her fitness for the women's 10,000m, and the 25-year-old believes the test event badly affected her performance in the race on Friday.

"It has been a childhood dream to come to these Olympics, it's all I've ever wanted my whole life. It's not at all how I imagined it, I wanted to go home yesterday (Thursday), I was in shreds," said Reed.

The Somerset-based athlete finished 23rd out of 31 runners - fellow Briton Jo Pavey came in 12th - and afterwards Reed was bitterly critical of her treatment.

The controversy erupted on Thursday after she sought help for a nagging Achilles problem and UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins told her to do the time trial.

Reed said: "Dave Collins wanted to make sure I wasn't going to let the team down, I guess he didn't want any bad performances, but to put somebody through that the day before their first ever major international is absolutely appalling.

"If it hadn't been for my coach, and my mum and dad phoning from back home, I don't think I would have made it, I was an emotional wreck and shaking like a leaf. It was just too much.

"I dosed myself up with painkillers two hours before, put on my long socks and said a long prayer that I could get through it."

Reed, who finished nine seconds inside the six minutes 20 seconds target for the 2km trial, believes the stress of the day and the physical exertions of Thursday night affected her performance in the final.

She added: "My legs were just flat. It just took it out of me, I had had such an emotional day - at one point I had a flight booked home, they were going to send me home."