A GENIAL giant he certainly wasn't, but Perriss Wilkins was back to his bubbling best just three days after seeing his dream of Commonwealth Games glory sent spinning further than his discus.

Wilkins was a distraught figure at Birmingham's Alexander Stadium on Saturday.

It took him all of half-an-hour to leave the arena after finishing fourth at the BUPA Championships and Trials and that after conducting an interview full of remorse - and expletives - which summed up his sombre mood.

However, a telephone call on Monday from the England selectors, informed the Banbury Harrier of his selection for Kuala Lumpur and the weekend nightmare might just wake Wilkins up to what's needed if he is to achieve his aim of a gold medal.

"I've not been getting enough competitive throws," Wilkins muttered, as he snarled over his performance in the Midlands.

"I shouldn't have been under any pressure, the first throw should have seen to that," he lamented. Wilkins threw 57.75 and then 57.89 before his efforts went way off course, allowing Glenn Smith (60.56) and Emeka Udechuku (57.90) to snatch the medals.

There was one hope left that the British record-holder might have done enough earlier on the season to convince the selectors to take a third person.

Monday morning's phone call saw to that and lifted Wilkins out of the doldrums.

There was also further good news when he was told that a place could stlll be found for him at next month's European Championships in Budapest.

Robert Weir, Saturday's winner with a throw of 62.82, was named in the Britain's Euro squad on Monday, but he disappointed in the European Cup and it seems Wilkins might just sneak the chance to prove his worth at the highest level.

Coach Gary Herrington provided Wilkins with welcome words of encouragement on Saturday and he is convinced there are better times ahead for his star pupil.

"Perriss has missed out on a few events which would have given him valuable experience. And that's what he's missing," Herrington said.

"He's obviously very upset about what's happened today. He's let himself and a lot of other people down and he knows it.

"We can only hope he can sneak in the team through the back door, and if he does, we'll make sure he better prepared in the future."

Wilkins revealed yesterday that he has been competing with a stress fracture of the foot and admitted that training would have to be quality and not quantity in the run-up to the most important period in his short, but successful career.

Winner Weir gave his biggest rival more encouragement after winning his sixth UK discus title.

"I think Perriss is developing," he declared. "He is a world-class athlete and he's just trying to find his path."

That path has been opened up by the confidence the national selectors have placed in the 29-year-old. It is now up to Wilkins to prove that Saturday was just 'one of those days'.

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