Athletics: Thomas `not ready' for trials

IWAN THOMAS, the European 400 metres champion, has admitted he will not be ready to compete in Britain's World Championships trials in Birmingham next month.

Now Thomas is hoping the selectors will recognise his achievements of last year, when the Welshman also won the Commonwealth Games title, and keep a place open for him to prove his fitness before the World Championships begin in Seville on 20 August. Thomas has been suffering from a foot injury he picked up during warm weather training in South Africa. He has not run for more than 10 weeks and says competing at the Birmingham event, which starts on 23 July, is out of the question.

However, Thomas remains adamant the World Championships remain on his agenda.

Thomas, who many believe can be the first Briton since Roger Black to challenge the American supremacy of the one-lap event, said: "It hasn't been good news so far but I haven't ruled out competing in the World Championships.

"I'll definitely not be ready for the trials and at the moment I don't think I will be running within the next few weeks."