SOPHIE Hitchon is willing to accept a little short-term pain for the long-term gain after crashing out of the hammer final at the Commonwealth Games on Tuesday evening.

The 27-year-old fouled all three of her attempts in the Carrara Stadium to exit the competition without registering a score.

That was a bitter pill to swallow for the bronze medallist in Glasgow four years ago, who also scooped bronze at Rio 2016.

But, along with coach Tore Gustafsson, the Burnley thrower has changed her technique in the last year to a four-heel turn.

And while Hitchon denied the new routine was to blame, it is clear that it will take time to bed in.

“It just wasn’t quite there today,” she said.

“I am working on a new technique and it is definitely going to be there, I have just got to keep working on it.

“It is definitely the way forward, I am going to throw much further off it.

“I wouldn’t particularly put this down to the change, I threw really well in the warm up and then this happens.

“This is track and field, it’s sport and that’s why we like it and what makes it good to watch.”

After two fouls to kick off the competition, Hitchon came into the third round knowing that she had to produce the goods but her throw ended up in the side-netting once again.

“You just have to think about executing and working on what you have been doing in training which is exactly what I did – that’s it but it didn’t happen.”

And after a disappointing seventh place finish at the world championships in London last year, Hitchon must now turn attentions to the Europeans later this summer in Berlin.

But the main aim remains Tokyo 2020 and she insists she is still on the right track.

“That is part of the sport, look at last year when I was utterly devastated in London coming off the track, I told myself that I am not going to cry anymore,” she added.

“I am working on my technique and it will be there in the years to come.

“‘Beep’ happens, what can I say?

“I don’t think anyone at Glasgow 2014 when I got bronze thought I was going medal in 2016, and here we are two years out from Tokyo – I will be ready.”

Meanwhile, Laura Massaro put the disappointment of failing to win an individual medal in the squash behind her by kicking off her quest for doubles glory with a routine victory.

The 34-year-old from Chorley teamed up with Sarah-Jane Perry - silver medal winner in the singles - and the pair wasted little time in brushing aside Eilidh Bridgeman and Caroline Laing from the Cayman Islands, winning 11-2, 11-2 inside 10 minutes.

Massaro and Perry complete their Pool B fixtures today when they face England team-mates, Jenny Duncalf and Alison Waters then Lisa Aitken and Alison Thomson from Scotland.

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