Athletics: Edwards takes his first step on road to Paris

Jonathan Edwards, whose triple jumping career is, to use his own phrase, now best characterised as a "long goodbye", bids a belated hello to the 2003 season tomorrow when he competes on his home patch in the Norwich Union Super Grand Prix at Gateshead.

The 37-year-old Gateshead Harrier is returning to action after a four-month break as he begins his preparations for defending his world title in Paris next month.

But Edwards, also the Olympic and Commonwealth champion, is not expecting an easy return given the presence of the man who relieved him of his European title last summer, Sweden's Christian Olsson.

"He's definitely the man in form this year," said Edwards, who narrowly defeated the Swede at the last World Championships in Edmonton. "He's leading the world rankings and has put in some pretty good jumps, including a Swedish record. Although I am determined to do very well in front of my home fans, Olsson's holding the upper hand at the moment and will be favourite to win."

Still, the ultra-competitive Briton will doubtless be hoping to damage the Swede's morale with an untimely defeat in what will be the first of a series of meetings over the next month at venues including Stockholm, London and Zurich.

"I deliberately began my season late, because of illness and not wanting too many early competitions," said Edwards. "Tomorrow isn't a question of make or break for me. Of course I will be wanting to do very well, but I have to be realistic.

"It will take me a little time getting into shape and I believe not starting my build-up until now has been the right thing to do. By August I will be beginning meetings in earnest, aiming to ensure everything comes out right later in the month in Paris."

Steve Backley, the Commonwealth and European javelin champion, will be making only his second appearance of the season after knee surgery when he comes up against the 21-year-old Russian Alexsandr Ivanov, who has thrown 88.90metres.

The 1500m features Morocco's world record holder Hicham El Guerrouj, who faces the world indoor 800m champion David Krummenacker, of the United States, and four Britons - John Mayock, Anthony Whiteman, Tom Mayo and James Thie - hoping to achieve the World Championship qualifying time of 3min 34.90sec.

Dwain Chambers and Mark Lewis-Francis will be re-acquainting themselves with Kim Collins, of St Kitts and Nevis, the 100m Commonwealth champion. The US champion Bernard Williams also takes part.

Kelly Holmes, the 33-year-old Olympic 800m bronze medallist, will compete at the unfamiliar distance of 3,000m following the calf injury that has limited her speed preparation. She misses an 800m that features the two world leaders - her training partner Maria Mutola, the Olympic champion, and Slovakia's European champion Jolanda Ceplak. Britain's 18-year-old prospect Charlotte Moore, sixth in last year's Commonwealth final, also goes.

In the men's 400m, Britain's Daniel Caines takes on world champion, Avard Moncur, of the Bahamas, and the Commonwealth champion Michael Blackwood, of Jamaica.

Denise Lewis will confirm in the next few weeks whether she will contest the World Championships next month in Paris. The Olympic heptathlon champion issued a joint statement with her coach Frank Dick which read: "All things being well we are trying to prepare for Paris, but will know for sure in the coming weeks given the right response to training."