• Athletics

Chambers could skip European Indoors

ESPN staff
February 7, 2011
Dwain Chambers could end his indoor season early due to safety fears © Getty Images
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Dwain Chambers could forgo the defence of his European indoor 60 metres crown due to concerns about safety.

Chambers pulled out of the final of the Birmingham Games at the weekend because of an apprehension over the perceived lack of padding on railings at the end of the track's run-off area.

The sprinter did not win his semi-final at the National Indoor Arena, beaten out by Joel Fearon, after slowing down with ten metres remaining to reduce the possibility of injury.

Chambers is now seeking confirmation from UK Athletics that crash mats will be installed in Sheffield next weekend for the European trials, and his representative Siza Agha warned the 32-year-old may decide to skip the event entirely to eliminate any risk of an injury that could affect his outdoor season, with the World Championships in August his main target.

"The latest data shows Dwain is 90-odd kilos, travelling at his optimum speed of 12.5 metres per second at 50 metres," Agha told The Times. "He only has 20 metres to stop and so he needs that crash mat. He was slowing down ten metres from the end on Saturday."

Chambers was last beaten indoors in 2008, when he came second in the World Indoor Championships. He subsequently won the European indoor 60 metre title in 2009 with a competition record of 6.42 seconds - the third fastest time in history.

© ESPN Sports Media Ltd.
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