Athletics: Thomas on the mend

IWAN THOMAS yesterday cast aside his disappointment at missing next month's World Championships in Seville and looked ahead to making his return towards the end of the year.

Thomas, the 1998 European, Commonwealth and World Cup champion, underwent surgery last week on an ankle injury suffered while training in South Africa earlier this season.

"The ankle is still sore but it's improving day by day," said the Welshman, who should return to full training in six to eight weeks. His uplifting news, however, came the day after Denise Lewis warned that a leg injury may cause her to withdraw from the championships.

Lewis, the British heptathlete, who won both European and Commonwealth titles last season, said: "I would say that I am 50-50, but I have to be realistic and won't go if I can't give myself every opportunity to do what I have to."