FORMER drug cheat Dwain Chambers has been included in a strong Aviva Great Britain team for the inaugural European Team Championships in Leira next weekend.
Chambers' selection should guarantee maximum points in the 100 metres where he is a clear leader of the European rankings this summer with a world-class time of 10.06 seconds.
The 31-year-old Londoner, who served a two-year drug suspension after t
esting positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003, is delighted he has been chosen to represent his country at the Portuguese venue. Chambers learned of his inclusion after winning at an international meeting in Montreuil on Thursday night where, despite cold conditions and a poor start, he still clocked a time of 10.17secs.
"I am very pleased with my performance," said this year's European Indoor 60m champion, who aims to challenge for a medal at the World Championships in August.
Chambers added: "Times are not important at this stage of the season, but winning is. I have officially been selected and I am looking forward to competing with and being amongst my fellow team-mates."
Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu, who opened her campaign with a win at the French meeting, will run over 200m and the Beijing triple jump silver medallist Phillips Idowu will also compete.
Charles van Commenee, UKA's head coach said:
"We have some very strong events, some weaker ones and everything in between. But that applies to every country.
"We have selected every athlete purely on a performance basis and not on promise or potential. It is all about who are the best people for the job. We have selected the strongest possible team from athletes who are fit. The exceptions are heptathlete Jessica Ennis and 400m runner Michael Bingham."
He said Ennis could compete in four events in the UK as part of her preparation for the World Championships, while Bingham would be coming off the back of a busy schedule at the NCAA Championships in the USA.
Younger athletes who have earned selection for their efforts in recent weeks include Pitreavie's 400m hurdler Eilidh Child, who entered the top ten of the country's all-time hurdlers with a time of 55.52 two weeks ago.
