SOUTHEND’S Robin Womack is in record-breaking form this year but he acknowledged a failure to hit those heights at the IPC Athletics European Championships yesterday.

The British F55 discus record had stood for more than two decades prior to this year but Womack smashed his way to history in May with a throw of 35.31m.

And that made his European performance in Swansea all the more frustrating for the 43-year-old as a best effort of just 30.42m was only good enough for seventh.

However he can earn a reprieve on Saturday as he eyes a place on the podium in his favoured shot put – an event in which he won bronze at the London 2012 Paralympics.

And Womack insists all is certainly not lost in the discus for the future despite his European result as he adapts to changes within his classification.

“I’m very disappointed with my performance and I apologise because I’m a lot better than that,” said Womack.

“I had a few problems with new lifting rules, I had belt problems on the first one so I went back to what I used for my shot put – although I can’t rotate as well.

“But on reflection, with the change I’ve had in two weeks with the new frame, I’m a little bit happy with the distance.

“But I was very confident that I could have got a bronze, it was 35m and that’s what I’ve done this year – breaking the British record that had stood for 22 years.

“I knew I could get up to that, I was feeling really good and had a lovely training camp in Cardiff with my coach and I was thinking ‘yeah, I’ve got this’.

“I fouled on my first throw but that’s no excuse, I’ve thrown in the 30s all season and I’ve done at least 10 competitions this year – I’ve been consistent.”

Womack certainly isn’t short of support in Wales with Sainsbury’s a proud sponsor of the British Paralympic Association and its athletes all the way to Rio 2016.

And as British athletes left, right and centre claim medals at the European Championships, he predicts he’ll bring the house down in Swansea with a shot put gold this weekend.

“The discus is moving on time, that’s my secondary event,” added Womack.

“I’ve always been a shot putter; I’m built like a shot putter, and now let’s get that gold on Saturday.”

* Sainsbury’s is proud to support British Athletics through the Summer Series events and is committed to helping young people lead healthier, more active lifestyles.

For more information, visit www.sainsburys.co.uk/legacy