Chambers named in strong Great Britain team

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.

606: DEBATE Your thoughts on Great Britain's team for the European Team Championships

"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.

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Great Britain team

Men
100m: Dwain Chambers
200m: Rikki Fifton
400m: Tim Benjamin
800m: Colin McCourt
1500m: Tom Lancashire
3000m: Nick McCormick
5000m: Mo Farah
110m hurdles: Andy Turner
400m hurdles: David Greene
3000m steeplechase: Stuart Stokes
High Jump: Samson Oni
Pole Vault: Steve Lewis
Long Jump: Chris Tomlinson
Triple Jump: Phillips Idowu
Shot: Carl Myerscough
Discus: Abdul Buhari
Hammer: Andy Frost
Javelin: Mervyn Luckwell
4x100m: Harry Aikines-Aryeety; James Dasaolu; Marlon Devonish; Tyrone Edgar; Fifton; Simeon Williamson
4x400m: Benjamin; Greene; Nigel Levine; Richard Strachan; Rob Tobin; Conrad Williams

Women
100m: Ashlee Nelson
200m: Christine Ohuruogu
400m: Lee McConnell
800m: Jenny Meadows
1500m: Hannah England
3000m: Steph Twell
5000m:
Laura Kenney
100m hurdles: Gemma Bennett
400m hurdles: Eilidh Child
3000m steeplechase: Helen Clitheroe
High Jump: Stephanie Pywell
Pole Vault: Kate Dennison
Long Jump: Phyllis Agbo
Triple Jump: Nadia Williams
Shot: Alison Rodger
Discus: Eden Francis
Hammer: Zoe Derham
Javelin: Laura Whittingham
4x100m: Montell Douglas; Emily Freeman; Joice Maduaka ; Nelson; Kadi-Ann Thomas; Laura Turner
4x400m: Vicki Barr; McConnell; Ohuruogu; Nicola Sanders.