Athletics: Jackson's finale earns reward of captaincy

Colin Jackson will bring his illustrious hurdling career to a close as Britain's captain at the forthcoming World Indoor Championships in Birmingham.

The 36-year-old Welshman, who has won every title except an Olympic one, will lead a team of 22 men and 17 women, Britain's largest ever, for the event at the National Indoor Arena from 14-16 March.

It will be the 71st occasion Jackson has worn a British vest and the world 110 metres hurdles record holder will be seeking to round off a senior international career that began in 1987 with a victory.

"I am of course honoured to be named as captain," he said. "It is a fitting way to end my career as a member of the GB team, especially as I will be leading the team at a championship event on home soil.

"I am currently training in the warmth of Tenerife and look forward to going for gold in my final appearance at a major championship in front of the Birmingham crowd."

The Birmingham athletes Daniel Caines, Ashia Hansen and Mark Lewis-Francis are all named in the team. Caines will be seeking to defend the 400m title he won two years ago in Lisbon and the world indoor triple jump record holder Hansen is determined to continue her winning ways of 2002 when she claimed the Commonwealth and European triple jump gold medals.

Both missed the weekend's world indoor trials at the NIA, although unlike a number of their high-profile peers they were both suffering from genuine injury problems. Hansen suffered a bad reaction after competing at the Norwich Union Grand Prix on 21 February, and Caines is reported to be carrying a knee injury.

Lewis-Francis had to perform in the trials to earn the second 60m spot behind Britain's leading indoor sprinter this season, Jason Gardener, who joined his training partner Jackson in Tenerife at the weekend.

To his unbounded relief, the 20-year-old earned his home run by finishing one hundredeth of a second ahead of the European outdoor champion, Dwain Chambers. Now he is setting himself the target to improve on the 60m bronze medal he claimed two years ago.

The UK Athletics performance director, Max Jones, commented: "The Commonwealth Games in Manchester proved that a home championships can offer a unique environment that allows British athletes to excel. I am sure that the National Indoor Arena will replicate the Manchester euphoria."

GREAT BRITAIN AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM

World Indoor Championships, Birmingham, 14-16 March

MEN

60m: J Gardener (Bath), M Lewis-Francis (Birchfield). 200m: A Condon (Sale), M Devonish (Coventry). 400m: J Baulch (Cardiff), D Caines (Birchfield). 800m: J McIlroy (Windsor) (subject to fitness), C Moss (Belgrave). 1500m: M East (Newham), J Thie (Cardiff). 3,000m: T Mayo (Cannock), J Mayock (Barnsley). 60m hurdles: C Jackson (Brecon). High jump: D Grant (Woodford Green). Pole vault: N Buckfield (Crawley). Long jump: C Tomlinson (Newham). Triple jump: J Edwards (Gateshead). 4x400m: J Baulch (Cardiff), D Caines (Birchfield), A Charlton (Huntingdon), J Deacon (South Shields), M Elias (Cardiff), C Henry (Notts), M Hylton (Windsor). Disability demonstration event: 800m arm amputee: A Bird (Cannock), D Crates (Thurrock).

WOMEN

60m: S Burnside (Edinburgh WM), J Maduaka (Essex Ladies). 200m: A Spencer (Belgrave). 400m: J Meadows (Wigan), C Murphy (Shaftesbury). 800m: J Fenn (Essex Ladies). 1500m: K Holmes (Ealing), H Ovens (Edinburgh WM). 3,000m: H Tullett (Swansea). 60m hurdles: S Claxton (Belgrave), R King (Belgrave). High jump: S Jones (Trafford). Triple jump: A Hansen (Birchfield). 4x400m: K Gear (North Devon), D Halsall (Sale), V James (Belgrave), J Meadows (Wigan), C Murphy (Shaftesbury), K Sotherton (Birchfield), A Spencer (Belgrave). Disability demonstration event: 60m cerebal palsy: H Robson (Jarrow).