ROBERT Tobin will be going for gold in Helsinki this weekend as a member of the British 4x400m squad at the European Championships – but his hopes of running the individual event at the Olympics would appear to be over.

The 28-year-old, from Old Basing, was the fastest runner in the heats of the 400m at the British Olympic trials last weekend, clocking 45.77sec, but could only finish fourth in the final after giving himself too much to do in the home straight.

Tobin said: “I am just disappointed with the way I ran the final.

“The heat felt really easy and it felt like there was a lot more to come, but in the final my pace judgement was wrong in the back straight.

“I relaxed a bit too much and the race had gone. I needed to be much closer coming into the home straight.”

All three men who beat him have achieved the Olympic qualifying standard of 45.30sec, something Tobin has failed to do.

As a result, he has chosen not to run the 400m in Helsinki – effectively ending his chances of running the individual event at the London Olympics.

“It’s disappointing that I will not be running the individual event at the Olympics but I just didn’t run correctly at the trials,” Tobin added. “I had to run properly to give myself a chance and I was not able to do that.

“The top two from the trials have automatically qualified, while third-placed runner Nigel Levine beat me in the trials and has the A standard. That would have meant me trying to run five races in five days at the Euro-peans and going much quicker than him.

“I would have probably had to run sub-45 seconds to give myself a chance and doing all of those races would have been a risk so in the end I have decided just to go for the relay.”

The British 4x400m squad for the Europeans is made up of Richard Buck, Luke Lennon Ford, Michael Bingham, Conrad Williams, Levine and Tobin. The heats will take place at 7.25pm (BST) on Saturday, with the final being run at 7.45pm (BST) the following day. It’s a strong squad, with only trials winner Martyn Rooney not making the trip.

“A gold medal is the aim,” said Tobin. “I have two silver medals so it would be good to go one better. We are taking a strong team and hopefully we can come back with the gold. Russia, France and possibly Belgium will be our main competitors.”

Tobin will be looking to impress in Helsinki in order to cement his place in the relay team for the Olympics, amid speculation that world 400m hurdles champions Dai Greene may run the event.

“I’m not too worried about Dai Greene being in the squad because I think I am capable of running quicker than him over 400m,” Tobin added. “Hopefully, my performance in the trials will have got me a place in the relay team. I came fourth, showed what I was capable of in the heats, and hopefully I can still improve.”

Hook distance runner Charlotte Purdue will also be in action at the European Championships, where she will be looking to secure her place in the 10,000m team for the Olympics by running the qualifying time of 31min 45.00sec.

The 21-year-old elected to run the 5,000m at the trials, coming home eighth, but she believes that a medal is achievable in Helsinki.

Purdue said:“I am sixth fastest in the rankings and there is more to come, so hopefully I can do it.”

Purdue will be in action on Sunday, with the race getting under way at 5.25pm.