COLIN JACKSON RACES AT CRYSTAL PALACE

ATHLETICS

Colin Jackson, the world record holder for the 100 metres hurdles, renews his rivalry with the world champion, Allen Johnson, in tomorrow's McDonald's Games at Crystal Palace, writes Mike Rowbottom.

For a variety of reasons, Jackson faces a particularly difficult task. First there is the problem of his own fitness. Having missed the World Championships - or rather, the World Championship selection deadline - because of an adductor muscle injury, the Welshman has returned to action in the last fortnight only to reveal that he will require operations to remove his tonsils and a cartilage from his knee when the season has ended.

What makes Jackson's task even harder is the fact that Johnson, whom he beat at Zurich last week, recorded the fastest time of 1995 two days later - 12.98sec, only 0.07sec outside Jackson's world record and the fourth fastest ever. Tony Jarrett, who took silver behind Johnson in the Championships, also races, although the form he showed in Gothenburg appears to have deserted him.

Jonathan Edwards is due to compete in his 12th triple jump competition of the season against the men who won silver and bronze behind him in the World Championships, respectively Brian Wellman and Jerome Romain.