Athletics: Britain set realistic target for World Cup

Britain's selectors yesterday announced an expeditionary force for a campaign which cannot realistically be won – the World Cup in Madrid on 20-21 September.

The presence of the United States, Africa and Europe means that the British men's team, which qualified for the International Association of Athletics Federation's quadrennial event by winning this year's European Cup, is effectively going for fourth place in a competition which also includes the Americas, Asia, Oceania, Germany and the host nation, Spain.

"To beat any of the three superpowers would be totally out of the question," said Max Jones, the UK Athletics performance director, yesterday. "Fourth would be excellent, fifth would be satisfactory, sixth would be slightly disappointing and anything below that would be very disappointing."

It has already been a long season for British athletes, who have been constantly busy with the European Cup, the Commonwealth Games, the European Championships and the Golden League programme.

But Jones believes the weary Brits can finish with a flourish in an event which offers an opportunity for them to win several important battles, if not the war itself. Individual victors will receive $30,000 (£19,000), with prize money going in a sliding scale.

Winning in Madrid could see individuals such as Dwain Chambers, Jonathan Edwards, Steve Backley and the sprint relay team installed as world No 1 in the seasonal rankings.

"Jonathan will admit that he is not jumping as well now as he did in July and August," Jones said. "But that might still be good enough to win. It will be more important for some than others to do well. Dwain, for instance, has rationed his running this year and he may feel he will go to Madrid with something still to prove."

One man who will definitely not be going to Madrid is Allyn Condon, who walked out on the relay team during last month's European Championships after being left out of the quartet which contested the opening round.

Condon, who recovered from two heart operations last year to return to top class sprinting, now appears to have burnt his bridges with the British team. Asked what Condon would have to do to get back in favour, Jones replied tersely: "A lot."

Four British women have earned individual places in the Europe team – Lee McConnell, the European 400m silver medallist; Jo Pavey, who runs the 5,000m; Jade Johnson, European long jump silver medallist; and the European and Commonwealth triple jump champion Ashia Hansen.