Athletics: Monty missing Chambers clash.

Byline: DAVID MARTIN 

EUROPEAN 100metres champion Dwain Chambers must get the better of Maurice Greene - but not Tim Montgomery - if he is to prevail in this summer's final IAAF Golden League meeting in Berlin tonight.

Last year's world championship silver medallist Montgomery and his American compatriot Greene both lost to Chambers in the London Grand Prix a fortnight ago.

Greene will be out for revenge in Berlin - but Montgomery will be absent.

An organisers' spokesman confirmed: ``Montgomery is not running the 100m and will not be here. People have been asking why. I don't know - and neither does Askahn Brehm, the athletes' liaison manager.''

Chambers' manager John Regis is less surprised by the turn of events.

``I think he's (Montgomery) getting himself ready for next week's Grand Prix final. There's no other reason for not being in Berlin,'' said Regis.

``He's qualified for the final and he'll want to be at his best.

It's an important meeting.'' A huge prize list of $2,456,000 is on offer in Paris next week, with $30,000 up for event winners - and another $50,000 for Montgomery if he can stay in front as overall leader.

Chambers does not really need to run in Berlin to qualify for Paris either.

Regis explained: ``Dwain's currently sixth in the standings at the moment, so he's only running in Berlin as a safety measure to make certain he gets into the Grand Prix final.

``He's really up for it and wants to set the world alight again. He's in great form.''

Apart from Greene the line-up includes Commonwealth champion Kim Collins and Coby Miller, who pushed Chambers into third place in their European confrontation in Zurich.

British middle distance star Kelly Holmes runs her first race since the European Championships, and Commonwealth bronze medallist Helen Pattinson is also in the 1,500m field.

Holmes is another making the trip to try and assure herself of a Grand Prix final place in the metric mile - hoping for a top-eight placing.

CAPTION(S):

TARGET: Chambers