Athletics: Chambers beaten on comeback for Britain

Chambers finished second in the European Cup 100 metres with a time of 10.19 seconds

First the good news. Dwain Chambers managed to avoid a dumper truck or a workman carrying a hod in the home straight of the building site known as the Ciudad de Malaga athletics stadium last night. What he did encounter when he not so much rose as climbed out of his starting blocks was something of a reality check.

Having got off to a flying start on his return to 100 metres action with a 10.07sec clocking in the freakish warmth of Gateshead two and a half weeks ago, the reinstated doping offender was unable to pick up the momentum on the opening night of the two-day European Cup. Pulling on a Great Britain vest for the first time since the 2003 World Championships in Paris, Chambers made a sluggish start and was unable to close the gap on Ronald Pognon, the young French speed merchant who emerged as a continental force when the Briton was serving his two-year suspension.

Pognon led from start to finish and was a clear winner in 10.13sec. Chambers had to dig deep to take second place, which he snatched in a photo-finish from Andrei Yepishin of Russia, both men being credited with 10.19sec. It left the Londoner in philosophical mood.

"Welcome back to the world of competition," Chambers reflected. "I have no real excuses. I just didn't have any gas in my legs. I have to take it on the chin and keep smiling. I came here not knowing whether I could repeat Gateshead. That was playing on my mind. I have to accept that this year there will be downs as well as ups. If it's competition that I need, I just have to get into the fire."

At Gateshead, Chambers finished behind a scorching world record-equalling 9.77sec run by the Jamaican Asafa Powell. Having returned with a fast time himself, however, he hardly got his fingers burnt. It was rather different last night. Losing to one of his rivals for the European Championship title, which will be on the line in Gothenburg in August, represents a painful psychological blow.

Like the Malaga stadium, Chambers still has some rebuilding to do. He is due to run in the non-scoring B-string 4 x 100m relay tonight and has yet to decide whether to take up the challenge of racing Justin Gatlin, joint holder of the 100m world record, in Athens next Monday. "I'll sleep on it," he said.

Overnight, going into the final day of competition, the British men's team were sleeping more soundly than their female counterparts, though both were lying too close to the relegation zone comfort. Chambers aside, only one male British athlete placed in the top three in an individual event. Germaine Mason, making his debut for the land of his Cockney father after transferring allegiance from his native Jamaica, cleared 2.27 for third position in the high jump. With the 4 x 100m relay quartet, minus Chambers, third in the final event of the day, the British men stood fifth at halfway.

The women's team were lying third until they spilt the baton in their 4 x 100m relay. They finished the day down in seventh, despite a string of fine performances. Natasha Danvers-Smith led the way in the opening track event, the 400m hurdles, holding off the fast-finishing Russian Yevgeniya Isakova to record the most notable win of her career.

There was also a hard-earned victory for Jo Pavey in the 3,000m and impressive runners-up placings from Joice Maduaka in the 100m and Nicola Sanders in the 400m. There was a brave recovery, too, by Becky Lyne in the 800m. Despite being tripped and falling with 250m to go, the Hallamshire Harrier picked herself up and collected two points for finishing eighth.