bbc.co.uk Navigation

Mark Ashenden

High emotions in heat of battle for Beijing


He wasn't even sweating. Not even a pant. Dwain Chambers breezed through as the fastest man in the 100m heats of the Olympic qualifiers and he looked happy. "I'm just going to let my feet do the talking," he said, referring to Wednesday's court case.

How I could have done with his legs earlier after an agonising crawl up the M1. Thank you Clive Anderson by the way, for keeping my pecker up with your radio chat between junctions 10 and 12.

Birmingham's Alexander Stadium is now my new home for 53 hours. It's the Olympic trials. Yes, as if you didn't know, there's an Olympics coming up and Britain's top athletes are fighting for qualification. (For those of you heading here this weekend, if you get lost, just head for the big black cloud sitting over the M6).

This is serious business. The first batch of athletes will get their nod for Beijing on Monday, and performances here will have a huge bearing on those decisions. Judging by tonight's showing, Chambers will be heading to the courts as the fastest man at the trials. It was cruise-control, and those that were in the stadium (anybody know how many people make a crowd?) gave him a round of mild applause. At least 93 sets of claps and, for the record, no boos.

Having almost got my fingers burned last Sunday by threatening to wear my dad's old Federer-lookalike cardigan in the office for a week if Nadal didn't win at two sets up, I'm a little wary of making ridiculous predictions. But, no matter, here goes with a little something for the 100m final on Saturday:

1. Dwain Chambers wins in 10:11
2. Simeon Williamson 10.18
3. Harry Aikines-Ayreetey 10.26

This won't matter a jot if it all goes legally pear-shaped for Chambers next week, but one thing's for sure, there is no one set path for an athlete dreaming of Beijing.

With the whirlwind of negativity that's blowing round Chambers' Olympic journey, here are two other athletes - a pair of jumpers if you like - I bumped into after my epic car trip, who are helping to put a smile back on the face of athletics.

Phillips Idowu celebrates his world crown in Valencia
Triple jumper Phillips Idowu and long jumper Greg Rutherford. Two great athletes, two perfect role models. Same dream, different routes.

Let's start with the red-haired wonder. I say red; it changes with the weather, but I can officially, and probably not exclusively, reveal that his hair WILL be red in China.

After Commonwealth gold in 2006, Idowu has endured two years of hearing the words "Ooooh he's got great potential but he's never really done it." Times are changing. After a niggling back injury last year, 2008 has been a cracker for Hackney's finest.

He became world indoor champion in Valencia in March - his first world title - and he's now gagging for some more.

"It's been a great year," he told me. "It feels great performing at my best. I've already won a gold and it looks like I'm working through to another one. People have shown a lot of belief in me and it's great to pay them back.

"The word potential has been used a lot and there was a danger it was just going to turn to waste. I'm injury-free, world number one - I couldn't ask for anything else from a year for the Olympics."

He puts his success down to many things. Lying naked in the darkness of a floatation tank was one of them, being with friends and family putting up with his behaviour was another.

"At the end of the year they'll understand the sacrifices and me not speaking to them when I've won gold and they're all driving round in Bentleys!"

And what if he really does win Olympic gold? "I haven't really thought beyond round six here in Birmingham, but I can tell you it would be a complete emotional explosion."

And on to Rutherford. The 21-year-old is another who burst on to the athletics stage with a string of top showings - he was the youngest ever winner of the senior AAA long jump title in 2005 - and was only 19 when he won silver at the European Champs a year later.

Sporting the finest spikiest ginger barnet in town, he looked full of the joys. Within two minutes, my head had gone from "the Olympics means everything" to "the Olympics means nothing".

A week ago he found out his grandfather had terminal cancer. His granddad had followed Greg all through his career - had actually watched Greg in the Alexander stadium two years ago - and now he was lying in hospital, having lost half his body weight and close to saying goodbye.

"I have hardly slept for a week so it's not perfect preparation, but it puts it all into perspective. From his bed, he told me to go out and just go for it," Rutherford said.

He has also had to contend with a series of injuries, and with limited jumping experienced in the run-in to the trials; getting that 8.20m qualifying distance seems a tall order.

"My body's let me down a few times, but apart from a lack of sleep, physically I'm fine. What I'll do is compete, win, and then go back and give my granddad the medal."

And Greg Rutherford's idol when he was growing up? Yep, Dwain Chambers.

Mark Ashenden is a BBC Sport journalist focusing on the Olympic Dreams series. Our FAQs should answer any questions you have.


CommentsSign in

You need to sign in to contribute to this page. If you're new to BBC Blogs, creating your membership is quick and easy.

  • 1. At 11:55am on 12 Jul 2008, dcacooper wrote:

    I confess I am torn in a number of directions over Dwain Chambers.

    On the one hand, as a Christian and with him having served the ban handed down to him by the authorities, I believe it is right that he be given the opportunity to re-build his career.

    I also believe that unless the IOC introduces an Olympics-wide ban on those found guilty of taking performance-enhancing substances the BOA's ban will never be more than a token gesture.

    However, on the other hand, I firmly believe that the law should be kept out of how a sport governing body runs itself. Unless they are acting in a way that is clearly illegal, unfair or discriminatory then the law should have no jurisdiction over insisting that they change their rules.

    If ruling bodies are not free to enact and enforce their own rules then, frankly, what's the point?

    Complain about this comment

  • 2. At 12:43pm on 12 Jul 2008, sattyc85

    This comment was removed because the moderators found it broke the House Rules.

  • 3. At 12:52pm on 12 Jul 2008, cliquish wrote:

    @ sattyc85,

    why cant dcacooper mention the fact that they're christian to explain the basis for their conclusions? is that a crime?

    Complain about this comment

  • 4. At 1:22pm on 12 Jul 2008, emekaisyourfriend wrote:

    re: dcacooper

    I understand your concerns re the law, however, the BOA is a public body and as such is held accountable to the rule of law in this country.

    Think the Bosman ruling, the Webster case, the Tevez affair and many more. Sport and law can't be separated.

    I'm no authority, but I believe Chambers' challenge will succeed. The current by-law is unlawful, but then we'll find out next week.

    For the record, I'm ambivalent on the whole Chambers affair. I believe he has a right to pursue his career as normal, but then the spirit and integrity of sport must be upheld and if lifetime Olympic bans discourage other athletes from cheating, then it must be looked into as a measure.

    Complain about this comment

  • 5. At 2:30pm on 12 Jul 2008, bangramonkey wrote:

    sattyc85

    I'm guessing dcacooper mentioned their religion because as a Christian aren't you supposed to learn to forgive and give someone a second chance?

    Good luck to Dwain... I hope he's successful with his trial and helps to bring us back a medal (relays... no chance in the 100m unfortunately with Bolt, Gay and Powell all able to run in the 9.70s).

    Complain about this comment

  • 6. At 6:23pm on 12 Jul 2008, sbsj21 wrote:

    Surely it is simple.
    Cheat and you are banned from sport for life.
    The governing bodies of all sports need to stop messing about and bring an end to it.

    Steve

    Complain about this comment

  • 7. At 00:49am on 13 Jul 2008, craggle1912 wrote:

    i'm a christian too, and i completely agree with dcacooper, though i do feel more that, we've all done things wrong before, and yet we've been given second chances by others to have a go at something again. Why shouldn't Dwaine Chambers be the same.

    And Steve Cram, i do like you, but you've made some mistakes in your life before, ad yet others give you another chance, why don't you do the same with Dwaine. After all he is one of Britains finest sprinters.

    Complain about this comment

  • 8. At 01:08am on 13 Jul 2008, Jordan D wrote:

    For the first time in a long while (other than with John Motson), I got really annoyed at BBC Sport today - Steve Cram seems to forget that Dwain won the race today and almost seemed to suggest he shouldn't have been there. Regardless of the situation with regards the Olympics, Dwain is the fastest man in Britain, and proved that by winning today's final - at an event he was entitled to be at, having served his 2 year ban. Steve Cram seemed to suggest he didn't deserve to attend the Birmingham meeting, and didn't deserve his win, despite (at the time of writing) Dwain appearing to be clean, which says much more about Steve's attitude than it does about Dwain.

    With regards the BOA by-law: if the head of the World Anti-Doping Authority (Dick Pound) suggests that the BOA by-law is wrong - and he's a lawyer too - then maybe the BOA needs to take a look at itself. I await the High Court decision with interest, and will be supporting Dwain 100% on going to Beijing. After all we've got a 400m World Champion that challenged the by-law and is more than likely be going to Beijing for her event having been labelled a "drug cheat" by some sections of the press.

    Complain about this comment

  • 9. At 1:00pm on 13 Jul 2008, naz_chem wrote:

    If Dwain Chambers is allowed to represent GBR at other international athletic events and is able to earn a living from this work, then he must be allowed to compete at the Olympics. Why is the Olympics different from any other sporting meetings such as the world indoor championships and others?
    Either ban him for life from competing in all competitions or let him compete at them all. We need to be clear about what message we are sending to the athletes and public rather than the confusion that we presently have. He will win in the courts because the BOA has got it wrong, their rules are not fair and consistent. Furthermore, more pressure has to be put on the coaches and trainers that are involved in the doping charges rather than placing all the blame on the athletes. The athlete is always shunned and singled out in the press, but nobody ever knows the names of the coaches/trainers that are also involved. I don't know but do they get lifetime bans?

    Complain about this comment

View these comments in RSS

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites