DANNY Talbot has vowed to emerge even stronger and faster after suffering one of the most crushing days of his career earlier this week.

Just hours after returning from the European U23 Championships in Finland, where he won silver in the 200m and helped Britain win the sprint relay title, the Trowbridge sprinter was left stunned by the news that he had been left out of the senior team for the World Championships in Moscow.

The fact that he had beaten closest rival Adam Gemili in the U23s 200m final seemed to have secured him a place for Russia.

But the selectors sprung a major shock by choosing Gemili alongside trials winner James Ellington and newcomer Delano Williams, previously of the Turks & Caicos Islands.

“I am still in shock and cannot understand the justification for it,” said Talbot.

“I spoke to Neil Black (British Athletics Performance Director) but he did not give too much away for whatever reason and couldn’t say why I hadn’t been selected.

“I went to the European U23s instead of running the World trials because it was a chance to take on Adam and the best British sprinters and I thought that if I beat him I would have done enough to be picked for Moscow so to be left out is very frustrating.

“I feel I should have been selected for the 200m but to miss out on that and also the relay squad as well is very strange and I cannot understand it.

“Dan (Cossins, his coach) thought we had done everything we had to do to get picked and if Adam had beaten me in Finland I would have no argument.

“But I am not sure what more I could have done and it is very hard to take especially after coming home from the Europeans on such a high.”

The decision to omit Talbot provoked criticism, with former Olympic heptathlon bronze medallist Kelly Sotherton and 2011 world 110m hurdle bronze medallist Andy Turner among those insisting the selectors had got it wrong.

A furious Cossins even considered an appeal before accepting that it wouldn’t have changed the outcome.

“It is unbelievable,” said Cossins. “I think it is grossly unfair in every respect. Danny is totally gutted and so am I.”

Ironically the pair both believe that Talbot would have won the World trials had he opted to stay at home and race in Birmingham. Ellington was first with a wind-assisted 20.45secs compared to Talbot’s 20.46secs into a headwind in Tampere.

“I don’t want to go too over the top in criticising the decision as I have a lot of friends in the squad and a lot have already been sending me messages saying how surprised they are,” added Talbot.

“But now I am determined to find some quick races and try and run around 20.2secs to prove that I should have been in the team for Moscow. That would prove a point.”

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