September 2, 2007
Time is running out for athletes
Britain’s squad fell a long way short of expectations and a number will not be at the Olympics
Richard Lewis
A NUMBER of British athletes in Osaka need to take “a cold, hard look at themselves”, even though the team avoided its worst world championships, according to Dave Collins, UK Athletics’ national performance director.
He says he feels “no safer” in his own job than he did a week ago and it seems a further cut in team numbers is likely for next year’s Olympics.
Britain’s policy for these championships was to select athletes with podium prospects or those with potential.
Despite Britain’s one-two in the 400m with Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders, Kelly Sotherton’s heptathlon bronze medal and the men’s relay bronze, they have fallen short of Collins’s target of 14 top-eight finishers.
They have had only seven.
“It is about looking at what people have done during the season and how they have performed here,” he said.
“I am quite pleased. It is more than a two-to three-year process but when you look at the last world championships, the statistics read much better.”
Britain’s athletes have had more personal bests than in 2005, but some of the main hopes have been the biggest disappointments.
Javelin thrower Goldie Sayers and long jumper Chris Tomlinson failed to make finals, while Martyn Rooney and Andrew Steele did not progress from the first round of the 400m.
The gap between male and female success is growing. The last time a British man won an individual global track title was Colin Jackson in the 110m hurdles in 1999.
Britain’s women have won at the past three major championships, with Kelly Holmes at the 2004 Olympics, Paula Radcliffe’s marathon victory in Helsinki and Ohuruogu in Osaka.