Caines can be a giant-killer

Ingo Schultz is a hero in these parts. A 6ft 6in former army lieutenant, accomplished violinist and engineering student, he made one of the most unlikely breakthroughs in athletics last year when, just four years after he was jogging around in marathons, he found himself winning 400 metres silver in the World Championships.

The Munich crowd loves the big Hamburger but Midlander Caines, whose own quartermiling rise has been fairly meteoric, could devour him. In their little and large encounter last night, he silenced 40,000 fans by beating Schultz in their 400m semi-final, while at the same time appearing to have more in reserve for tonight's final.

"I know I'm entering Ingo's house but I feel confident," said the 23-year-old world indoor champion, who will be seeking to keep the title in Britain for the fifth successive European Championships.

Meanwhile, Jonathan Edwards has pronounced himself fit in a bid to retain his triple jump title tonight after aggravating an old injury in Tuesday's qualifying, but Londoner Phillips Idowu, runner-up to the Olympic champion in Manchester and leading qualifier here, must see this as a golden opportunity to at last dethrone the master.

Kelly Holmes, though, will have her work cut out to strike gold in the 800m against Jolanda Ceplak, Slovenia's striking new star of the track.