Chambers named in strong GB team
EUROPEAN TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS
Venue: Leira, Portugal Dates: 20-21 June
 Chambers is aiming for a medal at the World Championships in August |
Dwain Chambers has been named in the Great Britain team for the inaugural European Team Championships in Leira.
Chambers' selection should guarantee maximum points in the 100m, in which he leads the European rankings this summer with a time of 10.06 seconds.
Olympic 400m champion Christine Ohuruogu runs over 200m and the Beijing silver medallist Phillips Idowu competes in the triple jump.
Several younger athletes have also been selected after impressive performances.
Chambers, who served a two-year drug suspension after testing positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003, is delighted he has been chosen to represent his country at the Portuguese venue.
He learned of his inclusion after winning at an international meeting in Montreuil on Thursday night.
"I am very pleased with my performance," said this year's European Indoor 60m champion, who is aiming to challenge for a medal at the World Championships in August.
"Times are not important at this stage of the season, but winning is. I have officially been selected and I am looking forward to competing with and being amongst my fellow team mates."
Charles van Commenee, UKA's head coach said: "Under the former format, this was an event that the British team have traditionally done very well at.
"It is the only team competition at this level of the sport and is one that people can really relate to.
"It is a new format this year and it will take time for people to get used to it and to understand it. But people always understand winning and losing and we must aim to succeed.
"We have some very strong events, some weaker ones and everything in between. But that applies to every country. It should be a very interesting weekend.
"We have selected every athlete purely on a performance basis and not on promise or potential. It is all about who are the best people for the job.
"We have selected the strongest possible team from athletes who are fit."
Heptathlete Jessica Ennis and 400m runner Michael Bingham miss out - Ennis will compete in the UK and Bingham will rest after his involvement at the NCAA Championships in the US.
Rikki Fifton, David Greene, Ashlee Nelson, Hannah England, Stephanie Twell, Eilidh Child and Kate Dennison, all of whom have shone with breakthrough performances abroad in recent weeks, have earned selection for their efforts.
