Deposed Marlon Devonish still aiming for 200m World Championship place \n
Jul 13 2009 by Brian Dick, Birmingham Mail
DEPOSED sprint king Marlon Devonish insists he is still merits a place at the World Championships despite failing at yesterday’s trials.
The Coventry Godiva runner could do nothing to prevent unheralded youngster Toby Sandeman from scorching away to claim the 200 metres crown Devonish once viewed as his own.
But the veteran wasn’t the only one to flop as pre-race favourite Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun managed only fourth, former Olympic finalist Christian Malcolm fifth and Dwain Chambers didn’t even make it to the start line.
The controversial Londoner pulled out on Saturday night after being defeated in the 100m, citing exhaustion.
Yet even though Devonish fared slightly better and managed second, it may not be good enough to earn him a individual call up for Berlin next month.
The 33-year-old will definitely go in the relay squad but having not run the shorter event and not yet attained the qualifying standard in the 200m that might be all he gets.
However, he thinks he still has something to offer.
“I feel I warrant a place,” the former champion said. “I finished in the top three here but it is not good enough.
“Times like 20.78secs just don’t cut it though.”
And Devonish admitted he is becoming frustrated by his struggles on the track.
“I am not executing my races properly. It is not very good at all,’’ he added.
“I have been feeling flat in the last couple of days. Maybe I did a little bit too much before I came here. It’s so disappointing.”
Devonish’s performance was typical of those by the rest of his peer group as the two-day event brought further evidence of a new generation in domestic sprinting.
Of the quartet who won relay gold in the 2004 Olympics, Jason Gardener and Darren Campbell have both retired while Devonish and the injury-blighted Mark Lewis-Francis are shadows of their former selves.
In their stead stand 21-year-old Sandeman – a rank outsider when the race began – and 100m victor Simeon Williamson, who, on Saturday, gave a performance to suggest he could make an impact on the international scene.
The Highgate athlete now goes to Berlin as undisputed British No.1 – a title Devonish once used to own.
