MELANIE Purkiss admits she has no one but herself to blame for missing the boat to Athens.

Along with former Southampton star Iwan Thomas, 25-year-old Purkiss was dealt a major body blow this week when she was omitted from Britain's final selections for the 4x400 metres relay.

But unlike British record holder Thomas, right, who took a swipe at the selectors, Purkiss - a 4x400m silver medallist for England at the 2002 Commonwealth Games - has taken the decision firmly on the chin.

She said: "People often get a bit upset about selections, but I'm not going to blame anyone.

"It's for me to put myself in the position to be selected and I have to be honest and say I haven't done that."

With five athletes named in the first wave of selections, it was a straight fight between Purkiss and AAA indoor champion Catherine Murphy for the sixth spot.

Although Purkiss finished a place ahead of Murphy in fifth at the AAA Trials, the Team Solent sprinter has failed to break the 53-second barrier for the last two seasons.

When it came to the crunch last Saturday, Purkiss clocked a 53.51 victory at Loughborough, but Murphy produced the trump card of a 52.18 run in Madrid.

Purkiss, who ranks seventh in the UK this season compared to Murphy's fifth, reflected: "If selection had been based on the first five at the Trials - plus Donna Fraser - I would have been in, but it doesn't work like that.

"I saw Catherine at a meeting last Sunday and I congratulated her.

"There's nothing personal at all and I would never say that the people selected are not deserving. We've got a strong relay team and I wish all the girls well."

But she confessed: "When I watch the Olympics I'll know I would have been capable of pulling my weight in the relay.

"It's just a pity that the times I've done have not reflected how fast I'm running in training.

"I had a taste of success at the Commonwealth Games two years ago, but I missed out last year as well.

"Hopefully it'll make me stronger and I'll bounce back for the World Championships in Helsinki next year and the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne in 2006."

Purkiss's Olympic-bound training partner Robert Tobin is hoping to get a run in tomorrow's Norwich Union International.

Having whittled his personal best down to 46.17 this season, the Southampton University student says he needs to go faster still to boost his chances of getting a 4x400m run in Athens.