http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/main.jhtml;sessionid=DD3A0CNZBF2HPQFIQMFCM5OAVCBQYJVC?xml=/sport/2005/02/07/soaths07.xml&sSheet=/sport/2005/02/07/ixsport.html&secureRefresh=true&_requestid=22095
By Tom Knight (Filed: 07/02/2005) Jason Gardener's steady progress towards a third European title continued last night when he won the 60 metres at the Leipzig International meeting. Gardener, the world indoor champion and Olympic relay gold medallist, shook off a stomach upset to clock 6.56sec, the fastest time by a European this year which easily beat Germany's Marc Blume and the American, Demario Wesley. It was exactly the race Gardener needed ahead of this weekend's European Indoor Championship trials in Sheffield. But Gardener revealed that he almost withdrew from the meeting because of a stomach upset. He said: "I got to the airport and my stomach was so upset and I was vomiting. I almost turned around and went home. I felt a little better this morning, but decided I would only run in the main race. I had a great start and with two-thirds of the race over I knew I was going to win. Everything went perfectly. "Given I am still off-colour, I know there is plenty more in the tank and I expect to get faster in the next few weeks. It's just a case of chipping away as I have done in previous years and the results will come. Now I've got to get ready for the trial race at the weekend." The best of the other British athletes competing abroad came from Sarah Claxton, who set a British record of 7.98 sec in the heats of the 60m hurdles in Bergen. Claxton went on to dead-heat with fellow Briton, Diane Allahgreen to win the final in 8.02 sec, well inside the qualifying standard for next month's European Indoors in Madrid. There is renewed speculation in Australia that Cathy Freeman will make a comeback at next year's Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. The former Olympic 400m champion, who retired in 2003, is considering running in the 4 x 400m relay. Freeman said: "It would be a lot of fun. It would be enough motivation for me to try again." ENDS
