Edwards to give British hopes a jump start

The good news is that Jonathan Edwards will be fit to open Britain's so far ill-starred world championships quest here tomorrow.

The bad news is that he may be opening what could prove the least-successful edition for the team in the event's 20-year history.

If the management seem relieved that Edwards has signalled his intent to compete in tomorrow morning's triple jump qualifiers - following his ankle injury suffered at Crystal Palace a fortnight ago - it's because, even at 37 and otherwise engaged as a BBC commentator, he still resembles a diamond among the rubble. Edwards, set to retire after he attempts to defend his Olympic crown in Athens next year, believes he has another 18m jump in him (his world record stands at 18.29m) and none of his rivals in Paris have ever gone beyond that magical distance.

Constant injury setbacks have forced team chief Max Jones to admit that, from eight possibilities, a total of four medals would represent a good return. Yet if Edwards, shot putter Carl Myerscough and Dwain Chambers don't land gongs in the first three days, we could be looking at the sort of shambles seen at Edmonton two years ago when just two medals, including Edwards's gold, were gleaned.

National performance director Jones probably senses his job could be on the line, conceding that "things will be said back home" if there's an Edmonton repeat. He needs help from some old friends such as Steve Backley, who can never be ruled out, even though recent form suggests the global crown will once again elude him.

One decent outside bet for a podium place is Christian Malcolm, who's been running into impressive form in the 200m, a very open-looking event.