Athletics: Britain's image in need of a lift

BRITAIN AT THE EUROPEAN CUP

MEN

1965: 6th (and last). 1967, 1970: did not qualify. 1973: 4th. 1975: 4th. 1977: 4th. 1979: 5th. 1981: 3rd. 1983: 4th. 1985: 4th. 1987: 3rd. 1989: 1st. 1991: 2nd. 1993: 2nd.

WOMEN

1965: did not qualify. 1967: 5th. 1970: 5th. 1973: 5th. 1975: 7th. 1977: 4th. 1979: 4th. 1981: 4th. 1983: 4th. 1985: 3rd. 1987: 5th. 1989: 3rd. 1991: 3rd. 1993: 5th.

WHEN Britain's men won the European Cup in Gateshead five years ago, the then national coach, Frank Dick, described the event as 'the most important two days in the history of British athletics'. The performance of Britain's men and women in Birmingham this weekend in this year's final could turn out to be equally beneficial to the image of the sport in this country.

What animated Dick at the time was the heady sense of a common purpose in a sport that is naturally diverse and individual. The imposition of a team competition, with one man or woman in each event charged with gaining points for the greater good, can have a dynamic effect on competitors.

Seeing how individuals react in such circumstances is central to the appeal of a competition established in 1965 at the instigation of the Italian sporting administrator Bruno Zauli. One thinks of Kriss Akabusi's rousing 400 metres hurdles victory over Harald Schmid in 1989 - the West German was favourite to take a fourth consecutive title, while Akabusi, whose efforts in what was the opening event set the tone for the rest of the weekend, was a comparative novice to the event. One thinks of Tom McKean, so often his own worst enemy, getting it absolutely right four times in a row at 800m.

Further uplifting British performances are greedily desired by a sport which sees this event as an opportunity to rally its forces after the trauma of the Andy Norman affair. The bottom line, however, is the avoidance of the dread scenario in which Britain finish outside the first two, and thus fail to qualify for the World Cup final being held this September at Crystal Palace.

As things stand, however, Britain's chances of making the cut look good. Since winning in Gateshead, the British men have twice finished runners-up. In 1991, they would have won but for the disqualification of their sprint relay team after they had come home first. Last year their chance of victory effectively disappeared when Eamonn Martin was forced to retire half-way through the 10,000m with a serious foot injury.

Nobody is more determined to make sure Britain do well than their captain, Linford Christie, who earlier this month berated those Britons who had chosen not to run in the European Cup - a presumed reference to Rob Denmark, who felt last year's victory in the 5,000m took too much away from the rest of his season, and Matthew Yates, who expressed a distinct lack of interest in running the 1500m.

Obviously sprinters can run far more frequently than middle distance men, but Christie is pushing this phenomenon to the limit by standing in for John Regis at 200m as well as competing in the 100m - where he has already run 9.91sec with wind assistance this year - and the sprint relay. Regis, who has an ankle problem, will run the latter event.

Christie currently shares the record of five individual cup victories with Schmid. It will take an act of God to prevent him adding a sixth in his Olympic and World Championship distance of 100m, and he could well overcome the challenge of Alexander Porkhomovsky of Russia and France's Jean-Claude Trouabal in the longer sprint.

Other likely winners for the British men are Roger Black, at 400m, Dalton Grant, who recently high-jumped 2.34m and has twice won this event before, and Jonathan Edwards, the world triple jump bronze medallist.

The middle-distance events, regularly won by the likes of Coe, Cram, Ovett, Foster and Moorcroft in the Seventies and Eighties, now look like being dominated by Germany, who look like Britain's main challengers in the attempt to depose the champions, Russia.

The odds are stacked against Craig Winrow, the 22-year-old winner of the 800m at the national championships. Winrow's friend, Gary Lough, a year older, also faces a daunting challenge at 1500m.

The women's team, whose best placing was third in 1985, 1989 and 1991, are seeking to do at least as well again. The British captain, Sally Gunnell, is clearly expected to win in the 400m hurdles, where she is world and Olympic champion. Yvonne Murray, who was in with a chance of winning the 3,000m, has dropped out with a sore throat, but Kelly Holmes, making her debut in the competition, can expect to do well at 1500m.

(Photograph omitted)