Dwain Chambers has vowed to keep running "until the wheels fall off" despite being constantly reminded of his Olympic ban.
British sprinter has no plans to hang up spikes
Dwain Chambers has vowed to keep running "until the wheels fall off" despite being constantly reminded of his lifetime Olympic ban.
Chambers would have loved to bring his career to an end at next year's London Olympics, but is barred from competing after testing positive for the designer steroid THG in 2003.
At the age of 33, Chambers is well aware that time is running out - a message which was reinforced by this week's celebrations marking one year to go before Games get under way.
"I'm constantly reminded," Chambers admitted after cruising into the semi-finals of the 100m at the World Trials and UK Championships in Birmingham.
Fun
"I switch on the TV, I see it. I read the paper, I see it. But you know there's nothing I can do. All I can do is concentrate and have as much fun as I can. I'm just going to see out this year and see how next year goes."
Chambers declined to be drawn on the case of American LaShawn Merritt, the world and Olympic 400m champion who is appealing to the Court of Arbitration for Sport over his own Olympic ban.
Merritt was given a two-year ban, later reduced to 21 months, after testing positive for a banned substance found in a "male enhancement product", and under International Olympic Committee (IOC) rule 45, anybody given a ban longer than six months misses the next Games.
However, Merritt is arguing that this amounts to a three-year ban and goes beyond the sanctions laid out by the World Anti-Doping Agency.
"I just have to concentrate on the opportunities I do have available to me,"
Balance
Chambers added. "My manager is doing a lot behind the scenes to try to balance things out, which is good because it allows me to concentrate on my job here.
"It was a comfortable run. These championships are never easy. It's always a mental battle to make sure you don't false start and do something silly. I'm looking forward to it and have two more rounds to go. I just have to try to qualify and do the best I can in Korea.
"I'm having a lot of fun and I've still got these young boys saying they can beat me. I'm just enjoying it while I can because I know it's slowly coming to an end.
"Hopefully I can still remain number one in Britain. That's something I want to hold on to as long as possible. I'm just going to run until the wheels fall off."
Marlon Devonish, Mark Lewis-Francis, Craig Pickering, Christian Malcolm and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey were among those who also qualified for the semi-finals.
In the women's 400m, all the big names safely advanced to Saturday's final, with Olympic champion Christine Ohuruogu the fastest qualifier ahead of hurdles specialist Perri Shakes-Drayton, Lee McConnell, Shana Cox, Nicola Sanders and Kelly Sotherton.
Illness
But there was bad news for teenager Jack Green in the 400m hurdles, the European Under-23 champion being forced to pull out with an illness which looks certain to cost him a place in Daegu.
With European and Commonwealth champion Dai Greene running the flat 400m instead and therefore needing the one discretionary place available, Green will miss out if the first two in the trials have the qualifying standard, with Nathan Woodward and Rhys Williams looking set to do just that in Saturday's final.
"I'm absolutely gutted," Green wrote on Twitter. "I'm just hoping this will not be the end of my season regarding the World Championships but I'll be doing all I can to get healthy."
In the women's 800m, long-time rivals Jenny Meadows and Marilyn Okoro eased into Saturday's semi-finals, while Laura Samuel won the women's triple jump with a jump of 13.67m - well short of the qualifying standard of 14.30m.
