Lee savours Olympic Stadium experience

Lee Emanuel ran a personal best time for the mile at the Sainsbury's Anniversary Games

In front of a 60,000 strong crowd at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday, Emanuel ran 3.54.75 in the Emsley Carr Mile to finish in 14th position. Kenyan flyer Augustine Kiprono Choge won the race in 3.50.01.

“It was a fantastic atmosphere and the best racing experience of my life,” Emanuel said. “I’m really pleased to run a PB, though if anything I’m a little disappointed the time wasn’t a couple of seconds quicker.

“I was on track for a 3.52 but I’ll admit I did start to run out of gas during the final 150 metres. I definitely didn’t close out as well as I’d wanted to.”

Emanuel, whose family home is in St Leonards, now hopes to return to the United States for training during the winter months, with his main aim being to make the England squad for the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow next summer.

“If the games had been this year, I would’ve made the team,” he added. “I’ve just got to keep my form up. My coach and I have identified some things we can work on over the winter and I’m really excited. Hopefully I can post plenty of PB times and be involved in Scotland.”