Idowu out of Olympic trials

Phillips Idowu is the latest athlete to pull out of this weekend's Olympic trials in Birmingham, sparking injury fears ahead of London 2012.

Idowu has competed just three times in 2012 and suffered an unspecified injury on his last appearance, which was in the Diamond League meeting in Oregon on June 2.

The 33-year-old struggled to hit top form with leaps of 16.43 metres and 17.05m, before injuring himself when he fouled with his third attempt. He took no further part in the competition.

Idowu, who subsequently withdrew from the Bislett Games in Oslo, had previously been unbeaten this year with winning leaps of 17.24m and 17.31m in Shanghai and Hengelo.

UK Athletics head coach Charles van Commenee said Idowu and fellow absentees Yamile Aldama - the world indoor triple jump champion - and world 1,500m silver medallist Hannah England were aiming to compete at the London Grand Prix on July 13-14, but declined to clarify Idowu's situation due to issues of "medical confidentiality".

By not competing at the trials, Idowu will have to rely on a discretionary place on the team, but that will be a formality if he is fit, with Van Commenee adding: "It's not a worry. He is selectable."

The first action of the weekend was the heats of the men's 100 metres, which promises to be one of the most closely contested events.

Only James Dasaolu and teenager Adam Gemili have so far achieved the 'A' qualifying standard of 10.18 seconds, meaning finishing in the top two in tomorrow's final would secure their place at the Olympics.

Cool and breezy conditions at the Alexander Stadium tonight meant it was unlikely anyone else would be achieving the standard tonight, with Dwain Chambers only clocking 10.34s in winning his heat.

"It's always good to get the heat out of the way, now I'm looking forward to tomorrow," said Chambers, who was cleared to compete in London earlier this year when the British Olympic Association's lifetime ban on drugs cheats was overturned.

"I want to run fast but I'll just have to do the best I can with the resources I've got and just go for it. It's situations like this when I run my best so I've got to be at my best.

"The main thing is I want to get through the championships in one piece and hopefully that enables me to secure the qualifying time.

"Normally I'm on the top (of the national rankings) so it is a bit daunting that I'm lower down, but I've just got to take each day as it comes.

"Things have happened that have not enabled me to have a smooth journey but I've got to put that to one side and do a good job this weekend."

Gemili also won his heat in 10.27s while Dasaolu was happy enough to settle for second in his heat in 10.45s.

There were also no surprises in the women's 100m, with world junior champion Jodie Williams among the qualifiers despite considerable strapping on her right leg and the small matter of sitting her final A level exams this week.

In the men's 400m hurdles, world champion Dai Greene - who recently revealed he underwent a knee operation in December - put underwhelming early-season form behind him to secure his place in tomorrow's final.

Greene won his heat in 50.80s and was joined in the final by the four other men who have achieved the 'A' standard; Nathan Woodward, Rhys Williams, Jack Green and Richard Yates.

Greene said: "Job done, ready for the final tomorrow. Hopefully it's nicer conditions because there are a lot of good people here. I'm looking forward to racing.

"It hasn't been a perfect start to the season but things are getting better. I'm still on track for peaking in the summer."