Spreadwise: No reason to expect gold rush by Brits.
Byline: STEVEN DOWNESHISTORY and form suggest that spread bettors could profit by selling Sporting's GB medal performance at 65 for the World Athletics Champ-ionships, which begin in the early hours of tomorrow.
Cantor go five points lower using the same scoring
system of 25 per gold, ten per silver and five per bronze won by the British team.
After the general elation at last year's Sydney successes, it may be that the spreads are a touch optimistic.
At Olympics and World Championships since 1993, the British team has been consistent in winning six medals, never more than two of them gold, with the exception of the last World Championships in Seville two years ago, when they came home with seven medals in total, but only a solitary gold.
This time, it looks like only Jonathan Edwards is a real contender for gold, although his triple-jump team-mates Larry Achike and Phillips
Idowu could add to the medal tally.
But although he has been world No. 1 since 1995, 35-year-old Edwards has only once won the world title. So even that "certain" gold medal is not assured.
Injuries to the likes of Katharine Merry and Darren Campbell have further dented British medal prospects,
especially in the relays, normally a fruitful points tally boost on the final weekend of any athletics championship.
If fit, Sydney golden girl Denise Lewis will be up against Eunice Barber, the French woman who beat her to the world title two years ago. Even if she misses out and the quote comes down, sellers could prosper.
After Edwards, Britain's next best chance of gold in Edmonton must be fellow thirty-something, Steve Backley in the javelin. The 32-year-old
already has two world silvers.
Dwain Chambers could again medal in the 100 metres final in the early hours of
Monday morning - he won bronze two years ago and is a much better athlete now.
His chances in the 200m could be even better, considering the paucity of opposition.
There is also a chance that Mark Richardson could reach the podium in the Michael Johnson-less 400m, though he admits that he is short on training and racing.
If Britain again delivers six gongs, a tally of one gold, two silver and three bronze medals will score 60pts exactly.
World Athletics Championships markets - Cantor: Individual performances (25 gold, 10 silver, 5 bronze): 4-5.5 Dean Macey (decathlon); 4-5.5 Steve Backley (javelin); 6-7.5 Denise Lewis (heptathlon).
61-64 Triple treble (Edwards, Achike, Idowu triple jump performance, 50 gold, 25 silver, 10 bronze, 25 for 1-2-3, 10 for a jump over 18 metres (once only), 10 British tears at medal ceremony). 51-54 Baton Troopers (GB relay performance, all four teams count, 50 gold, 25 silver, 10 bronze, 10 per final reached, 25 per GB record (max one per team), -10pts per dropped baton/other
disqualification).
Recommendation
Sell GB medal performance
4pts at 65 (Sporting)*
(price may change if D Lewis does not participate)
(Stakes to a scale of 1-275 points)
CAPTION(S):
Even Jonathan Edwards is not guaranteed to win a gold medal for Britain in Edmonton
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Title Annotation: | Sports |
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Publication: | The Racing Post (London, England) |
Date: | Aug 3, 2001 |
Words: | 515 |
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