Athletics: Thompson takes last chance

DALEY THOMPSON yesterday agreed to make one last attempt to book his Olympic place by competing in his first-ever decathlon in England on Thursday and Friday.

Thompson, who returned home from Norway yesterday after his short and inglorious attempt to gain the qualifying standard in Trondheim, has agreed to take a final shot at achieving the 7,850pts mark hours before the Friday midnight deadline in the specially arranged meeting at Crystal Palace.

His coach, Frank Dick, said: 'He's come back home, had the chance to recover from the cold of Trondheim and the travel, and says he wants to do it.

'He's not making any predictions, only to say that he is keen to take this last chance of getting to Barcelona.

'Now, all that needs to be done is to tie up the logistics of staging the meeting at the Palace,' added Dick, who has been liaising with Southern Counties athletics officials who will organise the meeting.