Athletics: World's best will test British sprinters

British sprinters will be able to test themselves against the best of the US runners, and possibly the world 100m champion, Kim Collins, of St Kitts and Nevis, in the Norwich Union International in Birmingham on Sunday, 25 July, just a month before the Olympics.

British sprinters will be able to test themselves against the best of the US runners, and possibly the world 100m champion, Kim Collins, of St Kitts and Nevis, in the Norwich Union International in Birmingham on Sunday, 25 July, just a month before the Olympics.

The sprinter Mark Lewis-Francis is looking forward to competing against the likes of Collins and the world 100m record-holder, Tim Montgomery, in a match that organisers announced yesterday would be between Great Britain, the United States, a Commonwealth Select and a European Select.

"By that stage of the year, the only thing in all the sprinters' minds is going to be Athens and the Olympics and hopefully I'll be no different," Lewis-Francis said. "I would need to get selected of course, but it's a massive incentive knowing that the best sprinters around will be right on my doorstep. It'll give us all a really good idea of where we are."

Jonathan Barnett, of the Stellar management group which looks after Dwain Chambers, has reiterated that the banned British sprinter is unlikely to take up his right of appeal against a two-year doping ban by the deadline of 20 March.

Barnett was reported to have said that Chambers was "sickened by the whole thing," adding "at the moment he has no intention of coming back into athletics."

Meanwhile Dean Macey intends to leave the sport unless he makes an impact at the Olympics. The 26-year-old Canvey Islander, now recovered from the hamstring and Achilles' tendon problems that have kept him out of competition since winning world bronze in 2001, said: "If I don't get to Athens and secure funding then I'll have to become professional at something else.

"My Asics contract finished the year I bust my hamstring. I'm living off Lottery funding. I don't blame people for not wanting to back a one-legged athlete."