Michael East has vowed to use his World Indoor Championships disappointment to spur him on to Olympic glory this summer.

The 26-year-old finished third in the 1,500m in Budapest on Sunday only to have the bronze medal cruelly snatched away from him an hour later.

East, who is part of Mark Rowland's flourishing training group based at Broadbridge Heath, was disqualified after Kenya's Laban Rotich complained he had been obstructed in the race for the line.

It was harsh on the reigning Commonwealth 1,500m champion, who learned he had been thrown out while waiting to take a drugs test.

He said: "I don't just want to be the best in Britain, I want to be one of the best in the world.

"The only way I was going to take the Kenyan was to push him into the barriers. It was professional obstruction.

"In the last 100m I had nothing in my legs. I felt like I had guys haring after me and I was just trying to keep going, a gap opened up and I took advantage of it.

"It must be the worst possible scenario, thinking you have the medal and then losing it."

East was still trying to come to terms with the loss of a medal and $10,000 in prize money when he returned to training in Sussex today.

Despite the frustration of Hungary coach Rowland, a bronze medallist at the 1988 Olympics, believes the athlete will be stronger for the experience.

East's times may have been well below his best but he proved he has what it takes to compete on the big stage.

Rowland said: "It was beneficial for Mike to be in a world class field as he has not had enough opportunities to take on the very best in the world.

"It would have been a nice bonus if he had picked up a medal but I was not expecting anything. The Olympics are what it is all about this year so everything we do is geared up to preparing for that. Mike's performance shows he is on target for Athens this summer."