Richardson picked for Edmonton

13 April 2012

Mark Richardson was today celebrating another step on his long road back to the top of athletics when he was selected for next month's World Championships in Edmonton.

Just over a month since he was still languishing under a drugs ban, selectors have shown their complete faith in the 28-year-old Windsor quarter-miler by picking him for the 400 metres in Canada, even though he has not achieved the required qualifying standard since his reinstatement.

Richardson, who was banned after testing positive for nandrolone in October 1999 but cleared last month by the IAAF under their exceptional circumstances rule, has been rewarded for his excellent victory in Sunday's trial race at the AAA Championships.

As he finished 0.07secs outside the qualifying mark, selectors did have the option of withholding his place and of making him chase the mark of 45.72secs at Sunday's Norwich Union British Grand Prix at Crystal Palace, which would have been his last chance before Monday's cut-off date for selection.

Instead, despite having taken a strong line on demanding to see athletes achieve qualifying marks this summer, they have taken a common sense approach to Richardson's exceptional case. They decided to rubber stamp his selection now on the strength that he did achieve the standard last summer, and that the two runs since his return suggest he has much to offer in an open-looking 400m in Edmonton.

Max Jones, performance director for UK Athletics, said: "Mark has a chance to get into finalist's shape and maybe even better than that. He's clearly going to progress and we didn't want him to feel anxious chasing a qualifying time."

The selection represents a turnaround in fortunes for Richardson, who gave up his chance to run in the Sydney Olympics by deciding instead to concentrate on clearing his name of the drugs charges.

In the 54-strong team announced today, though, there is as yet no place alongside him for European champion Iwan Thomas, second in the trials but still without a qualifying time, or world indoor champion Daniel Caines, who has hit the mark but has been injured.

Along with about 10 others in various events, they will be out to stake their final claims at Crystal Palace.

The team includes all six of Britain's Olympic medallists, yet just one gold medal favourite, triple jumper Jonathan Edwards. In the final Edmonton buildup, team officials will also be hoping for a late change of fortune for Katharine Merry, banker for the 400m crown until a recent viral complaint, decathlete Dean Macey, struggling with an injured hamstring, and sprinter Darren Campbell, short on fitness and form.

GB AND NORTHERN IRELAND TEAM

MEN - 100m: Dwain Chambers, Mark Lewis-Francis; 200m: Marlon Devonish, Christian Malcolm; 400m: Mark Richardson; 1500m: John Mayock, Anthony Whiteman; 5,000m: Karl Keska, Mike Openshaw; 10,000m: Karl Keska; 110mh: Damien Greaves, Tony Jarrett; 400mh: Chris Rawlinson, Du'aine Thorne-Ladejo. Triple jump: Larry Achike, Jonathan Edwards, Phillips Oduwu; Hammer: Mick Jones; Javelin: Steve Backley, Mick Hill; Decathlon: Dean Macey; 4x100m: D Campbell, D Chambers, M Devonish, M Lewis-Francis, C Malcolm; 4x400m: J Baulch, D Caines, M Hylton, M Richardson, I Thomas.

WOMEN - 400m: Donna Fraser, Katharine Merry; 800m: Kelly Holmes; 1500m: Helen Pattinson, Hayley Tullett; 5,000m: Kathy Butler, Jo Pavey; 10,000: Paula Radcliffe; 400mh: Natasha Danvers, Sinead Dudgeon, Keri Maddox; High jump: Susan Jones; Pole vault: Janine Whitlock; Triple jump: Ashia Hansen; Hammer: Lorraine Shaw; Heptathlon: Denise Lewis; 4x100m: Diane Allahgreen, Shani Anderson, Amanda Forrester, Joice Maduaka, Abi Oyepitan, Marcia Richardson, Sarah Wilhelmy; 4x400m: Allison Curbishley, S Dudgeon, Donna Fraser, Lee McConnell, Katharine Merry, Catherine Murphy, L Owusu.

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