IAAF World Indoor Champs., Doha, Qatar
Pick of the bunch
Day One. Dwain Chambers cruised through the opening round of the 60 metres, easing down in the final section of the race to win his heat in 6.59 seconds. That time stood up as fastest of the round.
"I have come here to qualify so that was my main objective. I did not show 100% of me," last year's European indoor champion said.
"I was nervous before the start because I did not know the guys very well. It is not about doing big things in the heats but in the finals.
"There are still two runs to go and I have to stay focused. So far it is going good. I feel two years wiser and I am excited about the next race."
The high jump qualifying round saw Samson Oni make the final with a leap of 2.26m and David Gillick, representing Ireland, won his heat of the 400 metres in 46.72. In spite of a clash with Bershawn Jackson of the USA in the semi-final, Gillick successfully qualified for the final in second place.
Dwain Chambers - World Champion
Day Two. Cementing his position as pre-event favourite, Dwain shifted up a gear to clock 6.51 seconds in the 60 metres semi-final - once again the fastest man of the round. Just the final to go then; could the Belgravian join club mate Phillips Idowu as a global World Champion?
... And in that final two and a half hours later it was indeed Chambers heading the field again at the finish line where a time of 6.48 seconds took him half a metre clear of American Mike Rogers. It was the fastest time in the World this year. Our man hadn't had things completely his own way as Rogers, among others, was a little faster away. But emerging from the pack over the second half of the race, there was no doubt about who was going to take that world title.
Interviewed in the stadium immediately after the race Chambers told the spectators, "I was a little bit slower from the blocks - that is why I wasn't as relaxed as I expected. It was the longest six and a half seconds of my life."
Another bumping, barging run came in the 400 metres final. On the last bend David Gillick vainly searched for a way past Jackson of the USA on the inside and in the ensuing, inevitable, clash both suffered and drifted to the back of the field at the most crucial stage: race over!
Day Three. Samson Oni was unable to replicate his best form of the winter, high jumping 2.24m to place 7th.
60m: b 1 D Chambers 6.48 (1s1 6.51, a 1h2 6.59). 400m: b dq D Gillick (a 1h2 46.72). HJ: c 7 S Oni 2.24 (a 3Q 2.26)
Restored from the club's earlier website, belgraveharriers.com, and published here as originally written.