TRIALS WIN NOT ENOUGH TO GET CHAMBERS TO GAMES
I had pressure with all the youngsters like Adam coming through, but I relied on my experience and it got my through
BIRMINGHAM, United Kingdom, June 23, 2012 (AFP) - Dwain Chambers ran his fastest time of the year to win the 100 metres final at the British Olympic trials Saturday but that still wasn't enough to get him a spot on the team.
The 34-year-old, banned in 2003 after failing a drugs test, recently saw his path to selection for the Games in his native London cleared after the British Olympic Association's lifetime Olympic ban on drugs cheats was overturned.
But Chambers's time of 10.25 seconds wasn't good enough to reach the 'A' qualifying standard of 10.18 secs.
British selectors were looking to their sprinters to both achieve the standard and finish in the top two at the trials -- something achieved only by 18- year-old rising star Adam Gemili, the runner-up to Chambers on Saturday, who become the second fastest man in Europe this year when he clocked 10.08 secs in Germany earlier this month.
A frustrated Chambers, who was heard to swear after winning the final, said he would now try to achieve the 'A' standard at the European Championships in Helsinki next week.
“First of all, I want to apologise for swearing at the end of the race,” Chambers told the BBC. “I got a little carried away. I had pressure with all the youngsters like Adam coming through, but I relied on my experience and it got my through. “I still need to get the qualifying time and I have a chance to get it at the Europeans in Helsinki next week, so that is the next step.
“The pressure of trials is the hardest part and I am glad it's over. Now I can concentrate on getting the time,” Chambers said.