Sprinter Campbell is going for broke

Olympic silver medallist Darren Campbell will aim to salvage his World Championship ambitions in a make-or-break 200 metres at Crystal Palace on Sunday.

Britain's only men's sprint medallist from the Sydney Olympics said he will not run in an individual event in Edmonton if he cannot produce a performance in the Norwich Union British Grand Prix which convinces him he can challenge for a medal in the half-lap event in three weeks.

Campbell's campaign suffered another setback at the trials in Birmingham at the weekend when, after just four days of training following seven weeks sidelined with a leg injury, he could finish only sixth in the 100m and was forced to withdraw from the 200m heats.

Selectors, who name the team tomorrow, seem certain to give Campbell until next Monday, the final cut-off date for selections, to stake his claim to the third spot in the 200m, his chosen event for Edmonton.

But Campbell said: "Sunday is a key race. If I can run 20.5 seconds or 20.6 at the Palace, I'll know I'm on the way to proving my fitness, but if I don't run to the standards I expect of myself and can't see myself challenging for a medal, I won't go."

Other athletes could also find Palace a last chance saloon, including European 400m champion Iwan Thomas who finished second in the one-lap event in Birmingham but who still needs the qualifying mark of 45.72sec. Yet his conqueror Mark Richardson, who won in 45.79sec, should have his place confirmed by selectors because he achieved the standard last summer.