The Electronic Telegraph Wednesday 16 August 2000 Tom Knight IWAN THOMAS hit back at selectors following his omission yesterday from Britain's Olympic team by saying he had been "lied to". The European and Commonwealth 400 metres champion said he was devastated to be passed over for Jamie Baulch, the world indoor champion, who finished third behind Mark Richardson and Sean Baldock in last weekend's trials. Thomas, who returned to the track this summer after more than 12 months recovering from an ankle injury, dearly wanted to cap his comeback with a trip to Sydney but was not even named for the 4 x 400m relay squad, though he could be by Monday's British Olympic Association deadline for entries. "I'm shocked," he said. "This isn't about me and Jamie - he's a good friend of mine. It's about me and the selectors, and I've been completely cheated." Thomas, who is only just back in training after re- covering from a hamstring injury, claims he was told he could miss the trials in Birmingham because a place would be left open for him until next Monday. He added: "I won't say the person's name but the conversation went like this, 'I give you my word that we will not pick the third place runner until August 21.' If that wasn't the case I would have run the trials. I was training at the weekend but I was told not to risk the injury and prove myself instead in the following week." Thomas travelled to a meeting in Sweden last night to try to make the qualifying time but admitted he felt "demotivated" after finishing fourth in 45.82sec, 0.02sec slower than he wanted. "I don't ever want to speak to the selectors again," he said. "I feel lied to. If I knew my fate relied on this, I would have been at the trials. If they don't name me for a relay place they're mad, madder than I think they are. "I feel let down and I've not been given the opportunity to prove myself. They've made a big mistake. I'll now make it my aim to run faster than any other Briton by the end of the season. "I'll run a lot between now and Sydney just to show people. The times at the weekend weren't fast and if I'd been beaten on Sunday, then fair enough. But to have my chance of a medal taken away from me like this is criminal. I'm the fastest European 400 metres runner in 13 years and words can't begin to describe how I'm feeling right now." Thomas is not the first medal contender to be controversially left out of a championship team. The most famous example is Sebastian Coe, who was omitted from the 1988 squad bound for Seoul, where he could have won a third Olympic 1500m title. Roger Black, Thomas's former relay team-mate, was overlooked twice, for the World Championships in 1997 and the European Championships a year later. Announcing the team of 40 men and 26 women, Max Jones, UK Athletics' performance director, said: "My heart goes out to Iwan but he has raced only twice in 22 months and in his last race, in Glasgow, was beaten by Jamie. We couldn't not have picked Jamie. Even if we'd given Iwan another week, what could it show? We are pretty cute but we would never have made any firm commitment to an athlete. I realise Iwan will be upset and I'll avoid him for a while." Thomas's outburst brought embarrassment for Baldock, the 23-year-old from Hastings who made the team by excelling at the trials. Baldock said: "I suppose I'm to blame. If I'd come third instead of Jamie the selectors would have gone straight for Iwan." Mike Smith, Thomas's coach, said: "But it's not over. Iwan can still make the relay and could even be named as reserve for the individual 400m should Richardson be ruled ineligible because of his drugs case." GB team for Sydney Men 100 metres: D Campbell (Belgrave), D Chambers (Belgrave), J Gardener (Bath & Wessex).200m: D Campbell (Belgrave), M Devonish (Coventry Godiva), C Malcolm (Cardiff).400m: S Baldock (Belgrave), J Baulch (Cardiff), M Richardson (Windsor, Slough & Eton).800m: A Hart (Coventry Godiva), J McIlroy (Ballymena & Antrim).1,500m: J Mayock (Barnsley), A Whiteman (Shaftesbury Barnet).5,000m: No selection.10,000m: R Denmark (Basildon), A Jones (Cardiff), K Keska (Birchfield).Marathon: J Brown (Sheffield), K Cullen (Chelmsford), M Steinle (Blackheath).3,000m steeplechase: No selection.110m hurdles: D Greaves (Newham & Essex Beagles), C Jackson (Brecon), A Jarrett (Enfield & Haringey).400m hurdles: A Borsumato (Sale, Manchester), M Douglas (Belgrave), C Rawlinson (Belgrave).50km walk: C Maddocks (City of Plymouth).High jump: B Challenger (Belgrave).Pole vault: K Hughes (Enfield & Haringey).Long jump: No selection.Triple jump: L Achike (Shaftesbury Barnet), J Edwards (Gateshead), P Idowu (Belgrave).Shot: No selection. Discus: G Smith (Birchfield), R Weir (Birchfield).Hammer: No selection.Javelin: S Backley (Cambridge), M Hill (Leeds City), N Nieland (Shaftesbury Barnet).Decathlon: D Macey (Harrow).4 x 100m: Campbell, Chambers, A Condon (Sale, Manchester), M Devonish (Coventry Godiva), Gardener, I Mackie (Pitreavie), C Malcolm (Cardiff). Subject to fitness: J Golding (Blackheath).4 x 400m: S Baldock (Belgrave), J Baulch (Cardiff), D Caines (Birchfield), M Richardson (Windsor, Slough & Eton), C Rawlinson (Belgrave). Women 100m: J Maduaka (Woodford Green & Essex Ladies), M Richardson (Windsor, Slough & Eton).200m: No selection.400m: A Curbishley (Edinburgh Woollen Mills), D Fraser (Croydon), K Merry (Birchfield).800m: K Holmes (Ealing, Southall & Middlesex).1,500m: H Pattinson (Preston), H Tullett (Swansea).5,000m: J Pavey (Bristol)10,000m: P Radcliffe (Bedford & County).Marathon: M Sutton (Tipton).100m hurdles: D Allahgreen (Liverpool Harriers).400m hurdles: N Danvers (Shaftesbury Barnet), S Dudgeon (Edinburgh Woollen Mills), K Maddox (Sale, Manchester).High jump: No selection.Pole vault: J Whitlock (Trafford).Long jump: J Wise (Coventry Godiva).Triple jump: A Hansen (Shaftesbury Barnet).Shot: Judy Oakes (Croydon).Hammer: L Shaw (Sale, Manchester).Javelin: No selection.Heptathlon: D Lewis (Birchfield).20km walk: L Kehler (Wolverhampton & Bilston).4 x 100m: D Allahgreen (Liverpool Harriers), L Anderson (Shaftesbury Barnet), S Davies (Birchfield), Maduaka, Richardson, S Wilhelmy (Southend).4 x 400m: Curbishley, N Danvers (Shaftesbury Barnet), S Dudgeon (Edinburgh Woollen Mills), Fraser, H Frost (Birchfield), K Merry. Eamonn Condon WWW.RunnersGoal.com
