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Chambers faces race for Gothenburg place

19/07/2006

Dwain Chambers is facing a race to prove his fitness in time for the European Athletics Championships.

The British sprinter pulled out of the final of the Manchester trials at the weekend so as not to aggravate a thigh injury.

Chambers, who only recently returned from a two-year doping ban, staked his claim for a place in the squad after running 10.07s in Gateshead last month.

But he was not named in the initial list of 60 athletes released by UK Athletics yesterday and now has until August 1st to prove his fitness.

Chambers won gold in the 100m at the European Championships four years ago but was stripped of the title after he admitted taking a banned performance-enhancing drug.

The 28-year-old remains one of Great Britain's best medal hopes but doubts over his fitness could cost him a place in the squad.

"We would need to be pretty convinced medically that he is on course to full fitness across a number of rounds," UK Athletics performance director Dave Collins. "If he is fit, I wouldn't see why he wouldn't be taken. He would be a strong contender."

This year's European Athletics Championships run from August 6th to 13th in Gothenburg, Sweden.

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