Harry Aikines-Aryeetey admitted he was in the shape of his life before injury cruelly robbed him of a shot at international glory at the World Indoor Championships in Doha.

The 21-year-old set pulses racing on the domestic circuit by clocking 6.55seconds at the UK trials last month to secure his place in the 60m at the Aspire Dome.

Aikines-Aryeetey squeezed through his first heat in third place, clocking 6.72secs, before disaster struck in the semi-final as a hamstring injury left him stricken on the track.

And Antigua’s Daniel Bailey rubbed salt in the wound by claiming bronze in the medal showdown in a time 0.02secs slower than the Sutton & District sprinter.

“I missed the start in my first heat and just wasn't quite there but I’m in shape to put things right,” said Aikines-Aryeetey before his semi-final.

“I got the job done in the end and I am here to get myself into the final of this competition.

“I’ve been going well during the winter and my times have been really good so I’m confident I can do something.

“I ran a slow one in Birmingham but that was just because I was getting over my run in Sheffield.

“I was over the moon with that time and it just showed me what I was capable of doing, it made me believe”

Controversial GB team-mate Dwain Chambers went on to claim his first senior indoor title in the event.

And after producing the fastest time in the world this year to power to gold, the former drugs cheat vowed to help Aikines-Aryeetey get back on track.

“I didn’t see him go down but I saw him lying on the track after I had finished my semi-final and I really feel for him,” said Chambers.

“But I will put my arm round him and I will talk to him and I will do what I can to help him.

“I hope the injury isn’t too bad but I am sure he will be pretty down now because it obviously meant a lot for him to get here and he was going well.

“Harry is a very impressive young sprinter and I thought we had a great race at the UK trials.

“He is big and he is powerful and he is technically good so what he does in the sport is really in his own hands right now.

“I really appreciated him saying that I helped him go faster in Sheffield and I am glad that I could do that.

“He is a young man who is keeping me on my toes and making sure that I don’t relax too much.

“There was a big gap between Linford Christie and myself and my job now is to make sure the gap between myself and the next generation is not as big.”

* Aviva has been proud to have helped and supported the Aviva GB & NI junior, senior and disability teams as they prepare for all major events and championships since 1999. Visit www.aviva.co.uk/athletics for more information