Athletics: Gardener's dash of silver

JASON GARDENER found a silver lining at the end of the 60m sprint strip in the centre of the Luis Puig Palacio de los Deportes last night. It was just as well. After taking second place behind the Greek Agelos Pavlakakis in the European indoor 60m final, Gardener, one of Linford Christie's potential successors as the new standardbearer for British sprinting, revealed his racing days might well have come to a premature end in 1998. "If I hadn't done anything this year I was going to pack it in," he said.

The 22-year-old member of the Wessex and Bath club has endured a frustrating time since he first showed his paces as a senior international, clocking the fastest indoor 60m time by a European in 1996. He was knocked out in the heats in the European Indoor Championships in Stockholm that year and has since been plagued by back problems. This winter, however, Gardener has recaptured his sprinting sparkle of old. And last night he maintained Britain's proud tradition in European indoor 60m finals, recovering from a sluggish start to take second place in 6.59sec - 0.04 sec behind the victorious Pavlakakis. Britain thus finished among the medals in the event for the sixth successive time.

Judy Oakes, a bronze medal winner in the women's shot- putt in Vienna 19 years ago, was unable to follow Gardener on to the rostrum last night. Sixth place with 18.42m was, nevertheless, a highly creditable performance by the 40-year-old veteran of the British team. Oakes' best effort was only 55cm short of the silver-medal position filled by the Dutch thrower, Corrie de Bruin - sister-in-law of Ireland's triple Olympic swimming champion, Michelle Smith. On the second day of competition, there was also the promise of more medals for Britain.

Ben Challenger, younger than Oakes by 21 years, continued his eye-catching progress, topping his high-jump qualifying group with 2.24m. The World Junior Championship silver medallist could well emerge from his senior international baptism with some tangible reward this afternoon. So could Julian Golding, who breezed through his 200m heat in 20.90sec. There was also a promising glint in the high hurdling form of Tony Jarrett.

The Harringay athlete first revealed his golden potential in 1987, when he won the 110m hurdles title in the European Junior Championships. Since then he has amassed a staggering collection of bronze and silver consolation prizes from senior international competition. At last count, his medal haul stood at 11. As The Big Breakfast put it recently, the Londoner remains Tony "No Gold" Jarrett.

That might not be the case for much longer. At 29, it seems his time at the top of the championship pile may finally be nigh. The cutting edge that has hallmarked his winter season was in sharp evidence again yesterday as Jarrett eased comfortably through to the semi-finals as the fastest qualifier, winning his heat in 7.52 sec. Andy Tulloch clocked the second fastest time, 7.56 sec, impressive form that may yield more than one medal for Britain in the final today.

There will, however, be one notable British absentee from the final day of competition: Solomon Wariso, who arrived in Valencia on top of the world indoor rankings but crashed out of the 400m in the heats on Friday morning. His unwise decision to return to his Californian training base between the national and European championships attracted vehement criticism yesterday from Malcolm Arnold, Britain's former head coach, but still involved in the national coaching structure.

"When Solomon told me his plans at the AAA Championships I was amazed," Arnold said. "I told him if he went back to America it could cost him a gold medal. Solomon has let down the team, the coaches and the people from the National Lottery funding. It has not done the reputation of the sport any good."