Darren Campbell counter-attacks Michael Johnson

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LONDON, May 18 - Darren Campbell has revived his row with Michael Johnson, accusing the US athletics great of making ``ludicrous’’ assertions about the state of British track and field.

Johnson, who still holds the world records for 200 and 400 metres, has been a persistent critic of British athletics in recent years and clashed with the nation’s leading sprinters at last year’s Athens Olympics.

But the British 4x100m team, which included Campbell, won a surprise gold medal even though none of the sprinters achieved individual success.

That did not stop Johnson commenting at the Laureus sports awards in Portugal on Monday that Campbell and his colleagues had been ``rewarded for mediocrity’’.

Johnson, who works as a BBC pundit, suggested expectations in Britain had fallen since his days on the track and claimed it was far too easy for athletes to get financial funding.

However, Campbell, 31, was infuriated that Johnson was again attacking the British system.

The Athens Games was Britain’s most successful in track and field since 1984. Aside from the relay gold, Kelly Holmes won the women’s 800 and 1500 metres.

``One of the things I read yesterday (Tuesday) - again from Michael Johnson - I think is just ludicrous,’’ said Campbell.

``As usual he brings his oar into something that doesn’t concern him. But again, that’s his opinion and I guess being Michael Johnson, his opinion is the right opinion,’’ Campbell added sarcastically.

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When will Darren Campbell wake up and smell the god damn roses!?!? Michael Johnson is spot on, I mean take away the men’s 4*1 relay gold and kelly holmes double gold, the only other athlete to make a final was Michael East in the 1500m. Which for a country like Britain is appaling! So when he realsies how wrong he is (maybe by having his own funding cut for poor individual performances, as since Sydney he’s not really achieved anything) i hope he eats a slice of public humble pie.
:mad: :mad:

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personally i think MJ should help rather than mouth off.he was a tremendous athlete and its about time he shut up and helped the people who need it.he is doing nothing other than mouth off the wrong things.

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I agree… Criticizing is easy…

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For sure, I think MJ should pull his finger out and suggest some ways to improve the sport in Britain instead of bitching and getting into pointless beefs which can’t help the state of track in Britain anyway. He can be critical, but then he can help out a bit too.

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Oh ok, cool. I guess you can run like he can on a torn hammie. Or possibly like Christian can after having kidney ailure just weeks before the games. You must really be good.

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So, decreased funding will get track & field in GB on its way again?

Being part of a gold-medal relay team in the 4x100m is more than 99,99% of any athlete will achieve, ever. How convenient to count that off before making your analysis. Perhaps you could disregard his bronze in 2003 also (100m, Paris), to make your analysis even more spot-on?

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Hey, if im not wrong,
wasn´t Darrel that run faster than Maurice that anchor in Athens Relay ? :smiley:

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Other way around. MG almost walked him down after taking the stick behind him.

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Why field a week squad then? I like Christian, but why pick someone who’s just come back from KIDNEY FAILURE!?!?! We’re not talking about a cold or Hayfever! Surely the GB team would have been aware of the the fitness levels of both athletes? How serious was DC injury? As many of you will know when u’ve pulled your hammie you are out for a min of 3-5 weeks.

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I am from the UK.

And i don’t think Michael Johnson should pull his finger out.

He is right about everything he says.

The sprinters in 2004, where fucking shit. And am struggling here, i tried to hold back.

It is not like they don’t have lottery funding

It is not like they don’t have the facilities, doctors and support.

And most of all it is not like the UK dose’nt have talant.

Mark Lewis francis, is world junor champion, and in my eyes, world junior record holder 9.97sec from edmonton.

Christain Malcom is double world junior champion, 100m, and 200m 10,13sec and 20,43sec if i might say. This man is a beast!

The first athlete since Ato Boldon to double,and i know times are irrelivent in champions, but he was faster than Boldon.

Am not saying the british sprinters should of won, medels, but they should of reached the finals.

That should be the main aim, of the sprinters, reach the final.

All this bullshit, about money and funding and support, has got nothing to do with it.

Its is up to the athletes them selfs, to pull their finger out of their asses.

Rain or shine, feeling abit down or not. You are going to train right.

Tell athletes in other less funded and supported countrys, like Jamaica, who have great sprinters and the carribean is now the second biggest power in sprinter. It use to be BRITAIN!

Am not saying that the athletes ar’nt working hard enough they might be working their asses off.

Some of the british athlete seem carm, and settled, with there performance compared to the US and carribean.

But this is wrong, they should want to chanllange, them day or night.

I know chirstian Malcom has had injury and illnes problems, and this is a shame. Because he ahs still to fulfil is potiential.

And Mark Lewis Francis, i just don’ tknow where to start.

Maybe it is his training, but since 2002, noting is happening for him. Like when you see a boxer, and they say of, he’s near teh end of his career he is shoot fighter.

Well Mark Lewis Franics is looking like a shoot sprinter, he look heavy and not easy when he runs.

But people have got to understand, Mark Lewis Francis is the anserw, for UK sprinting. Like Maurice Greene, got US sprinting back.

MARK LEWIS FRANCIS, has the power, and talent to do this.

But i think something is going worng major in his training.

Dwain Chambers was the only british sprinter since linford christie who had the right mental atitude.

Dwaian Chambers, 2006 what lie ahead who knows.
Oh yeah great achievement form Jason Gardener indoors, fantastic.

But did the US sprinters, and Carribean, feel what he is doing no.

Did they give a shit, i dont think so.

Jason Garderner is always injured, and thats not his fault. But ever since, 2000 his 100meters has gone down hill.

And it is not like he was old and past it, he is a great athlete.

BUt every year, i could place a bet on it.

Every year he would come out, blast 60meters.

Then come outdoors, and go asleep over 100meters.