Gardener dismantles opposition to claim title

Once the race was over it was hard to imagine what all the fuss was about. Jason Gardener came away from the CGU AAA Championships and World Championship Trials in Birmingham with the tag of fastest Briton round his neck with the minimum of fuss and maximum efficiency.

He dismantled the threat from Dwain Chambers in a decisive performance of world class. The race would have graced the American championships.

His time of 10.02 seconds would have been a new UK all-comers record had it not been for the merest puff of wind just 0.2 metres per second over the limit. Ever since he pushed world record holder Maurice Greene hard in Lausanne in 9.98sec, the second fastest ever for a Briton behind Linford Christie, Gardener has looked like the succeeding him.

With Chambers only one hundredth of a second slower this season, it was debatable who would wear the crown. By the time the gun went, however, the argument was over. Gardener rose from the blocks like a man possessed and the job was done.

In victory he was generous to Chambers: "Without Dwain pushing me the time would not have been possible. He was coming back at me at the end." Chambers saw it differently: "I let the situation get to me. But at least I've done the main thing and qualified for the team."

Dejected European champion Darren Campbell, who has been struggling all season, extracted what he could from finishing third.

"There was lots of pressure on me with people saying I was finished. It's just a relief to make the team."

Ian Mackie, however, was upbeat about his fourth place in 10.25sec and confident that it would secure his place in the relay for Seville. But he put himself under unnecessary pressure in a bizarre incident: "I lost my vest. I don't know how it happened. It made me really stressed out."

It is not the sort of thing that helps preparation for an important race. Vest apart, Mackie has been fighting his way back to fitness all season and ran out of time for the big one.

"If I'd had an extra week to prepare I would have run better. But I'm getting there. It's set me up for next year and that's the important thing."

He just missed his best for the 200m by one hundredth of a second when he eased up to qualify for today's final. His best of 20.91sec was set in 1994 when he competed in the European junior championships, alongside Gardener.

Gardener puts his success this summer down to competing in the winter when he not only took bronze in the world indoors but erased Christie's record. "It was a great foundation. It showed I could compete at the top level," he said.

Now he has another confrontation against Greene at Crystal Palace in the British grand prix in two weeks.

"I've raced him twice this season and been close. I'm looking forward to it," said a composed champion.

Scotland enjoyed a marvellous day with Sinead Dudgeon establishing her fifth Scottish record in the one lap hurdles since May. "I knew I could break the record but I didn't think I could do it here," she said.

Dudgeon gave a trademark battling performance. But coming off the final bend the outcome was in doubt.

"I didn't think I was going to make it, but I know I'm strong and I have confidence."

As three rose to the final flight with nothing between them she called on her fighting spirit and flew to the line to book her place for Seville.

Hayley Haining took her first AAA title with a win in the 5,000 metres in 15:56.61, smashing her personal best by 40 seconds. "It could have been faster," said the City of Glasgow athlete. "No one wanted to make the pace. They kept sprinting and bunching."

It was a fine display of controlled running with Haining, a practising vet, appropriately reining herself in. "It was a championship race. The win is the important thing."

With 600m to go she opened up a gap which she extended to the line.

Haining has suffered from successive injuries since 1991 when she fractured her right ankle. Her win represents only her third competitive track race in eight years.

l Results: Briefs, Page 14

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