Athletics: Selectors waiting for Edwards

Jonathan Edwards reacted with his customary grace yesterday to the decision of Britain's Olympic selectors not to put him straight into the 72-strong team announced after the weekend's trials.

The world triple jump champion, who missed competing in Birmingham because of a bruised heel, has been told he needs to show fitness by the entry deadline of 1 July. But he is confident he will do so in forthcoming meetings at Helsinki and his hometown of Gateshead.

Edwards said he had spoken to the chairman of selectors, David Cropper, before the team was announced and had discussed the position. "I don't have a problem with it," he added. "I wasn't at the trials and although I can see both sides, this is what my governing body have decided. I'm confident I will be at the Olympics.''

Cropper said: "It is obviously difficult with an athlete of Jonathan's quality not to put his name first on the team sheet. But we have to be consistent with our policy.''

Malcolm Arnold, Britain's chief coach, said: "When Jonathan proves his fitness he will be straight into the team.''

Steve Backley, the European javelin champion, currently recovering from a minor Achilles tendon operation, is in the same position as Edwards.

The option of adding both athletes' names to the squad with an asterisk to denote their further requirements was rejected on the basis of last year's unhappy experiences, where several athletes including Colin Jackson were conditionally nominated and not all showed fitness in time.

Backley, who plans his first competitive throw of the season at Gateshead the day before the selectors' 1 July deadline, said: "I didn't really expect to be named in the team yet. I agree with the selection criteria. But I would put my house on being in Atlanta.''

As expected, Linford Christie was named in both the 100 and 200 metres, even though he has said he will not decide whether to defend his Olympic 100m title until the 1 July deadline. However, he has indicated he would not run in the longer sprint.

Others who could benefit from more time after disappointing performances in the trials are 800m runner Craig Winrow, shot putter Mark Proctor and discus thrower Glen Smith.

Iwan Thomas was rewarded with the third discretionary place in the 400m after finishing behind Roger Black and Du'aine Ladejo in Sunday's British record-breaking race.

Tony Ward, spokesman for the British Athletic Federation, has criticised Ladejo's behaviour after the final, when he predicted he would soon take Black's record and put pounds 1,000 on it when Black suggested he put his money where his mouth was.

Ladejo said last night: "I wasn't trying to take the shine off Roger's record. It was a great run. What I was trying to emphasise is that with the talent we now have at 400m, it will be difficult for him to hold on to the record."

n Carl Lewis, three times Olympic long jump champion, qualified sixth for tomorrow's final at the US Olympic trials.

Great Britain team for Atlanta

(1 July deadline for additions): MEN: 100m: L Christie (Thames Valley), D Braithwaite (Haringey), I Mackie (Pitreavie). 200m: *Christie, J Regis (Belgrave), O Dako (Sale). 400m: R Black (Team Solent), D Ladejo (Belgrave), I Thomas (Newham). 800m: C Robb (Liverpool), D Strang (Haringey). 1500m: J Mayock (Cannock), A Whiteman (GEC), K McKay (Sale). 5,000m: J Nuttall (Preston), R Denmark (Basildon). 10,000m: J Brown (Sheffield). 110m hurdles: C Jackson (Brecon), T Jarrett (Haringey), A Tulloch (Belgrave). 400m hurdles: J Ridgeon (Belgrave), P Crampton (Spenborough), G Jennings (Newham). 3,000m steeplechase: J Chaston (Belgrave), K Cullen (Chelmsford), S Duval (Cannock). Marathon: R Nerurkar (Bingley), P Evans (Belgrave), P Whitehead (Skyrac). 4x100m relay (from): Christie, Braithwaite, Mackie, Dako, Regis, D Campbell (Sale). 4x400m relay (from): Black, Ladejo, Thomas, J Baulch (Cardiff), M Richardson (Windsor), M Hylton (Windsor).

High jump: S Smith (Liverpool), D Grant (Haringey). Long jump: No one. Triple jump: F Agyepong (Shaftesbury). Pole vault: N Buckfield (Crawley), N Winter (Shaftesbury). Shot: S Pickering (Haringey). Discus: R Weir (Birchfield). Javelin: N Nieland (Shaftesbury), M Hill (Leeds). Hammer: D Smith (Belgrave). Decathlon: A Kruger (Border). 50km walk: C Maddocks (Plymouth).

WOMEN: 100m: S Douglas (Sale), S Jacobs (Shaftesbury). 200m: Jacobs, K Merry (Birchfield). 400m: P Smith (Sale). 800m: K Holmes (Army), D Modahl (Sale). 1500m: Holmes. 5,000m: P Radcliffe (Bedford), S McGeorge (Brighton), A Wyeth (Parkside). 10,000m: No one. 100m hurdles: A Thorp (Wigan). 400m hurdles: S Gunnell (Essex). Marathon: L McColgan (Dundee), K MacLeod (Edinburgh), S Rigg (Warrington). 4x100m relay (from): Douglas, Jacobs, Merry, P Thomas (Trafford) plus two. 4x400m relay (from): Smith, Gunnell, D Fraser (Croydon), A Curbishley (Edinburgh), G Oladapo (Hounslow) plus one. High jump: D Marti (Bromley), L Haggett (Croydon). Long jump: D Lewis (Birchfield). Triple jump: A Hansen (Shaftesbury), M Griffith (Windsor). Shot: J Oakes (Croydon). Discus: J McKernan (Lisburn). Javelin: T Sanderson (Hounslow), S Holroyd (Essex). Heptathlon: Lewis. 10km walk: V Lupton (Sheffield).

*Christie not planning to run in the 200m.