Campbell relieved at false alarm

Darren Campbell today revealed how he feared his Olympic dream was over earlier this week when he suffered an injury scare at the British team's Cyprus training base.

Team GB's best hope for a sprint medal at the Games was left in despair after he broke down on his last day of practice there and thought he had torn his hamstring. It was seven hours before he eventually realised that it was a false alarm and that he had actually just been suffering severe cramp.

The Mancunian, who hopes to go one better here than his silver in the 200metres in Sydney, explained: "I suffered the problem in the morning and from about one o'clock to eight o'clock, I just sat there wondering if it was all over for me. Yet I just knew it was not meant to end like this.

"The medics at the camp were all great and I can't praise them high enough. There was tremendous relief when they reported back that there wasn't a tear in the hamstring and I was given the all-clear."

The reprieve has only further convinced Campbell that, despite his less than convincing form, he is once again ready to peak perfectly for his assault on both the 100m and 200m here after a tranquil 12-day training sojourn in the camp housing Britain's endurance runners.

Once again, he reckoned, he was ready to unleash "something special" when the men's 100m is staged at the weekend, a prediction underlined by reigning champion Maurice Greene's declaration yesterday that "when it comes to championships, that guy is always ready to compete so he's one you have to look out for".