Dwain Chambers won the final of the men’s 60 metres at the World Indoor trials in Sheffield to book a place in the Great Britain team for next month’s World Championships in Valencia.
The 29-year-old, who UK Athletics (UKA) reluctantly allowed to compete at the event, ran in lane three and powered through the final with a season’s-best time of 6.56sec ahead of Simeon Williamson in second.
UKA had attempted to prevent Chambers - who served a two-year suspension after he tested positive for tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) in August 2003 - from competing as they claimed he had retired to take up a career in American football, but the athlete maintained this was not the case.
Chambers was hopeful of being selected to compete in Valencia after his victory. “I’m going to let my legs do the running and the lawyers do the talking,” he said. “I would like to believe that the selectors would do the right thing and let me compete. It is my goal to compete in the World Indoors and this race is one step on the ladder to doing that.
“Drugs are wrong and I feel I have served my time and shown that I can come back and win races as clean so I feel I am a good example to people. A lot of things have been said and maybe the media have put me under pressure but the support I have received from the public here was fantastic.
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“I kept my cool on the track and came out first so I am happy with that.
The support of everyone here meant a lot. I acknowledge I have made a mistake in the past and I want to move on with my life and enjoy running again.”
Williamson, who finished second, did not have a problem with Chambers taking part in the event. “Dwain has done his time and I have no problem with him running,” he said. “There was extra pressure in the race with him involved and I am pleased to finish second and hope to go to the World Indoors now.”
After Chambers’ victory, Niels de Vos, the UKA chief executive officer, said the Belgrave Harrier’s participation in Valencia would depend on a selection panel. “My personal view on the matter has already been made clear and it is now up to selection panel. He ran well to win the race and will be treated exactly the same as any other athlete.”