Neither, now, will the Canadian Donovan Bailey, who beat Christie in

Neither, now, will the Canadian Donovan Bailey, docman&task=doc who beat Christie in Stockholm recently but lost out in a photo-finish to Robert Esmie in last week's Canadian trials. Those Britons with outside chances of medals will need to improve their php?option=com personal bests to step on to the podium. Melanie Neef, for instance, index php?option=com heard this details&gid=4&Itemid=50 week that among her opponents in the 400 metres will be the seemingly invincible Russian 60m world record-holder Irina Privalova,who says winning the short sprint is becoming boring.Christie's recent defeats are probably insignificant blips, but perhaps it is as well that Frankie Fredericks, of Namibia, will not be in Barcelona. Some inspiration from Christie on Friday evening could raise performances by others. A details&gid=4&Itemid=50 spectator's comment at the 1993 world championships when it took a world record by Jackson to beat him will not be quickly erased details&gid=4&Itemid=50 from Jarrett's mind. "He came up and said: `Do you realise you're the fastest loser ever?' That stuck with me."Britain will probably come back from Spain with only a small handful of medals but php?option=com such predictions have regularly proved over-pessimistic. Johnson and Jarrett together have become a two-pronged index index php?option=com threat to Jackson's season, one he started by talking docman&task=doc details&gid=4&Itemid=50 confidently of remaining the undisputed world leader.Jarrett says he would rather have Jackson in the docman&task=doc details&gid=4&Itemid=50 final on Sunday because only by beating the world record holder will he prove to php?option=com himself index that docman&task=doc he has a index legitimate claim to docman&task=doc be his successor.

Jarrett never mentioned it, but running with pads in your track shoes is not ideal. This season his padding around the indoor circuit has seen him running very quickly indeed.When Jackson suffered his first defeat in 18 months, in Madrid three weeks ago, he dismissed Johnson's win as one of those things that happens when you look upon the indoor season as mere preparation for the real thing But Jarrett took heart. "If he wasn't around, I'd win more often, but I wouldn't be running as fast." This weekend Jackson is not going to be around, but Jarrett will still need to run the fastest time of his life to become the world indoor champion.For most of last summer he ran with the disadvantage of an injury to a big toe - a similar situation had hastened the end of Gary Lineker's football career. He has the misfortune to be exceptionally talented at a difficult event at the same time as another Briton happens to be the best "I don't ever wish Colin any harm," Jarrett said.

Christie must inspire the rest and divert attention away from the absentees, including Sally Gunnell, who see the championship as one event too many Jarrett views it differently. With Jackson absent, Britain's Tony Jarrett faces another obstacle to his rare chance of success.Jarrett is among perhaps half a dozen British athletes who have a medal- winning chance, but gold beckons only one. However, there was little doubt that the US team would include their challenger to Colin Jackson's hurdles domination, Allen Johnson. Meanwhile the IAAF is not best pleased with the Americans.Although Britain declared a team last week, many other countries are deliberately withholding their announcements in retaliation for the Americans' ignoring the IAAF deadline and holding their trials yesterday and Friday.