Dwain’s
double dreams dashed
Matthew Brown for the IAAF
16 July 2002 - London - Dwain Chambers’ dreams of a European sprint double this
summer were ended by UK Athletics’ selectors today when Christian Malcolm was
given the third ‘discretionary’ 200m place in the Norwich Union Great Britain
and Northern Ireland team for the European Championships in Munich next month.
Chambers, who was the second fastest European at 200m before last weekend’s trials, has been given the discretionary spot for the 100m, the event he skipped in Birmingham in order to concentrate on qualification for the longer sprint. But Chambers’ double plans backfired when he stumbled from his blocks at the start of the 200m final on Sunday, immediately conceding five metres to his rivals, a gap that was impossible to make up. Chambers crossed the line at walking pace in seventh place before hurriedly disappearing from the track.
The former world 100m bronze medallist set a new personal best at 200m in June (20.27), and has twice beaten world record holder Maurice Greene over 100m – the kind of form which persuaded him that a golden sprint double was possible at the European championships. But world and Olympic finallist Christian Malcolm was given the nod today by the British selectors after finishing third on Sunday, in 20.29, behind Marlon Devonish (20.18) and Darren Campbell (20.26), who both qualified automatically.
Commenting on the decision UK Athletics chief executive David Moorcroft said: “Christian Malcolm has had his problems earlier in the season but made a significant step forward this weekend. It was felt that Christian deserved that selection ahead of Dwain Chambers. Christian is a world class athlete, he was fifth in the Olympics and fifth in the world championships, and he’s getting better."
"Dwain has got a busy couple of weeks ahead of him with Commonwealth and European 100 metres, plus relays, and I think the balance is the right one. Clearly Dwain’s priority now is to get himself right for the Commonwealths.”
Campbell, the Olympic silver medallist at 200m, was also selected for the 100m, along with teenager Mark Lewis-Francis. At the weekend, Campbell had suggested he might concentrate on the 200m and not defend his European 100m title, but Moorcroft revealed that Campbell had asked to be selected for both. Jason Gardener, European indoor 60m champion, who finished a disappointed third in the trials, has been picked as reserve for the 100m.
But Moorcroft emphasised that, with the European championships starting so soon after the Commonwealth Games, it is possible that places will open up. “If Darren does pull out of the 100m, then Jason would slot in,” said Moorcroft. “It’s a particularly difficult year and it’s likely that athletes will get niggles and injuries running in the Commonwealth Games. Many are doing one or two events, plus multiple rounds.” No reserve has been named yet for the 200m.
“I think it’s fair to say that the sprints were the events which caused the greatest discussion,” said Moorcroft. “It’s a real hassle having all these good sprinters nowadays because it always causes us a problem. But it’s a great problem to have.”
Like Campbell, Kelly Holmes had also asked to be picked for two events – the women’s 800m and 1500m. Holmes won the 1500m at the European trials and will decide whether to run both after competing for England at the Commonwealth Games.
London Marathon champion Paula Radcliffe has also been selected for two events – 5000m and 10,000m – although she has previously said that she would concentrate on winning the European 10,000m gold having run 5,000m at the Games.
However, Dean Macey, the decathlon bronze medallist at last year’s world championships, will not be going for European glory. Minor injury worries have forced Macey to concentrate on winning the Commonwealth Games and he asked not to be selected for the European Championships squad.
Further names may be added to the squad on 22 July.
