Ryan Gregson has just missed out on a place in the 1500 metres final after finishing third in his heat at the world indoor athletics championships in Birmingham.
Gregson kicked hard in the final 80 metres but was unable to haul in Ethopia's Samuel Tefera and Kenya's Vincent Kibet.
Tefera won in three minutes 44 seconds ahead of Kibet, who beat Gregson in a race in Glasgow last week.
The New South Welshman was the eighth-fastest finisher overall and his time of 3:44.44 would have comfortably won the final heat and booked a place in Sunday's nine-man final.
However, the first five finishers of the opening heat all recorded faster times leaving Gregson to rue his luck.
But he insisted he was happy with how he performed ahead of next month's Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast.
"I didn't run that poorly, it's just cut-throat, when the top two automatically qualify for the final," Gregson told AAP.
"I was unfortunate that it panned out that way. I did what I wanted to do, I put myself in a position, but those guys are very good.
"Vincent Kibet beat me last week in Glasgow and the Ethiopian is one of the fastest in the world this year.
"I nearly pulled it off but it was not to be. It was a strong race, there was a couple of casualties and with a couple of guys running faster in the first race they got through."
Gregson will return to Australia to begin his preparations for the Gold Coast event on Monday and insists the two weeks he has spent competing indoors in the UK and Ireland has been hugely beneficial.
"I had a race in Ireland and in Glasgow and now today," he said.
"I know it was only a heat, but if I can put myself consistently in the top three of every race then I'll be getting there."
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