Britain waiting on Lewis fitness

Denise Lewis is keeping British athletics team coaches sweating over whether she will represent Britain in the World Championships this weekend.

The Olympic heptathlon champion is suffering from a stomach upset and had promised to tell Max Jones, the team's performance director, later yesterday if she will be fit to compete.

Lewis was yesterday rated as only 50-50 by her coach Charles van Commenee. However, her condition improved slightly overnight on Thursday. "Denise is feeling better than yesterday," said Jones yesterday. "I am hopeful that she will give me her decision later today."

Lewis is one of Britain's best hopes for a gold medal, especially after winning the Olympic title in Sydney. If she is forced to pull out it will be a major blow to the team, which has already lost two other medal prospects.

Katherine Merry, the Olympic bronze medallist at 400 metres, pulled out before the team left for Edmonton through injury as did sprinter Darren Campbell, who would have run in both the 100 and 200 metres events.

Jones described the absence of Merry and Campbell as "like losing three medals" and it will be another probable medal gone if Lewis fails to recover.