Steve Solomon makes an unhappy competitive return to the London Olympic Stadium

FIVE years ago it was the scene of his greatest achievement but unfortunately Steve Solomon found out exactly how far the 400m event has shifted since his injury-enforced lay-off.

London Olympic 400m finalist Steve Solomon has finally shrugged off three years of injury and is ready to shine as the next Olympic year begins in January. Photographed at the AIS track in Canberra.

FIVE years ago it was the scene of his greatest achievement but unfortunately Steve Solomon found out exactly how far the 400m event has shifted since his injury-enforced lay-off.

The 2012 Olympic finalist was matched against world record holder Wayde van Niekerk in the first round of qualifying and things didn’t go according to plan.

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Running from the outside lane nine, Solomon was strong over the first 300m and was sitting third half-way down the home straight before losing his form.

He faded to finish a disappointing eighth in 46.27 sec — more than a second outside his season’s best — to miss progressing through to the semi-finals.

Van Niekerk cruised to victory in the heat clocking 45.27 sec.

Since his London Olympic heroics, Solomon has been hampered by hamstring injuries and failed to qualify for last year’s Rio Olympics.

But the 24-year-old American-based sprinter had showed signs of returning to form this season but unfortunately he couldn’t deliver at his first world championships appearance running a relay in 2013.

In the men’s shot put Geelong’s Damien Birkinhead failed to qualify for the final with a best throw of 19.90m while Peter Bol struggled in the 800m heats, finishing seventh in 1min 49.65 sec.