Webb claims A-standard

Webb and team-mate Lee Merrien had both made no secret of their desire to leave Korea with the top-20 finish required to strengthen their London credentials.

However after running in tandem for the first half of the race it was Webb who proved the stronger from there on, making up 30 places between the 25km and the finish.

But despite clocking a season’s best time of 2.15.48 minutes it was the London 2012 A-standard that left Webb grinning from ear-to-ear.

“Finishing top 20 here counts as an A-standard for the Olympics, so it would be great if that proves to be enough to get selected, it certainly would be a dream come true,” said Webb.

Webb’s joy however was not shared among the other half of the GB pairing with Merrien cutting a disconsolate figure in downtown Daegu.

He, like Webb, spent the second half of the race picking off his rivals however he agonisingly ended in 22nd, just 18 seconds from the top-20.

Merrien had been the top Brit at the European Championships last summer – finishing eighth – and said: “Top 20 would have been good, anything outside of that was not quite good enough,” said Merrien. “It wasn’t a bad run – it wasn’t however as good as I wanted it to be. Fair play to Dave though and all credit to him.”