Athletics: England sprinters crash out

One of the most hyped contests of modern athletics ended in sensation and tears last night, when the two England sprinters expected to sweep all before them in the Commonwealth Games 100 metres limped home in last place.

After all the fevered build-up, and some confident pre-race gestures to the capacity Manchester crowd, Dwain Chambers and Mark Lewis-Francis both pulled up during the race with what appeared to be hamstring injuries. Chambers limped off immediately while Lewis-Francis was stretchered off in tears.

The Englishmen had set the fastest qualifying times and were favourites to win gold. It was instead won by Kim Collins of St Kitts and Nevis, a group of islands with a population of 38,756. The clash between the two English sprinters had been billed as the "Battle of Britain" and "the biggest showdown in British athletics since Seb Coe raced Steve Ovett at the Moscow Olympics".

The injuries to the two men casts a long shadow over the England team's chances in the sprint relay at these Games, and over the British challenge at the forthcoming European Championships.