Athletics: Chambers sees path to gold as the 'underdog'

Dwain Chambers yesterday shrugged off the notion that, in the absence of Paula Radcliffe, he is Britain's best chance of getting a gold in the World Championships that start here tomorrow.

But the European champion made it clear nevertheless that this weekend's action on the rock-hard, super-fast surface of the Stade de France will mark a defining moment in his athletics life.

"I've been quite distant from those comments," he said. "As far as I'm concerned, I'm coming in as the underdog, but I believe I can win it. Sunday and Monday will be a real determining point for a lot of sprinting careers. It's going to be make or break for a lot of us. I've taken a lot of hits in the past but I've got to be more composed this time."

The 25-year-old Londoner was adamant that he had taken the right decision in removing himself from the student rooms in the athletes' village when he arrived here on Wednesday and checking into a nearby hotel.

"This is the most important time of my life," he said. "Mentally I need to be on my own. I need to be isolated. It's just too important - I don't need any distractions. I will be back in the village after the 100 metres, but I just feel it's the right thing to do."

As he spoke, Chambers was sitting alongside the man whom he regards as the dominant force in his event, Maurice Greene. Although the American, seeking a fourth consecutive title here, lost his world record last year to compatriot Tim Montgomery, Chambers was open in his admiration of the Kansas-born athlete's achievements.

Asked whom he regarded as the greatest-ever sprinter, he turned to the embarrassed figure alongside him. "You have to look at Maurice and his past record," Chambers said. "For five years he's been setting the pace. He's had it all his own way, but last year was an opportunity to get some wins in and reach a level playing field.

"Maurice has won the last three world titles in 9.8 something, and I think it will still be the same again, if not quicker. It's a prestigious title - every athlete wants it. For a lot of sprinters it could be the start of a new chapter."

Apart from having to endure a long sequence of defeats at the start of the season, Chambers had the added frustration a fortnight ago of having his victory at the Crystal Palace Super Grand Prix marred by a fault in the timing mechanism.

"It would have been nice to have got a proper time at Crystal Palace," he said. "My last three wins have all been into headwinds, and all worth under 10 seconds. But I'm aiming to show my true colours here. Sunday and Monday is when all the records will be laid to rest."

While Chambers, a bronze medallist four years ago in Seville, was preparing himself for his supreme effort to take a step up from his European Championship success of last season, the UK Athletics team doctor, Bryan English, was revealing that Jonathan Edwards, who is still hoping to compete here despite the ankle injury he suffered at Crystal Palace, suffered a similar injury shortly before taking a bronze medal at last year's European Championships.

"He sprained a ligament in just the same way before Munich, but the injury did not occur in the public eye," English said. "It cleared up then in two to three weeks. You would say that it might not have cleared up entirely now. But in the case of this particular athlete you never can tell. He is a very tough competitor."

Edwards, whose event starts tomorrow morning, will be indicating today whether his Paris trip will consist only of helping the BBC with their commentary or whether he is up to making it a bit more complex.

* A record 203 countries have entered the ninth athletics World Championships. A total of 1,902 athletes, with 1,054 men and 848 women, will take part - including two sprinters from Afghanistan. Prize-money of $100,000 (£63,000) will be given to any athlete who breaks a world record.