Top triple jumper Larry Achike has a point to prove as he prepares to take on Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards in this weekend's Commonwealth Games trials in Manchester.

Achike, the current Commonwealth champion, is determined to defend his crown and prevent world No 1 Edwards from claiming the only major title to elude him.

Edwards achieved the longest leap of the year, 17.67m, in Milan last Wednesday, and followed up with a victory at 17.18m in Turin on Friday.

When Edwards became Olympic champion in Sydney three years ago, Achike was in the bronze medal position with one round to go but finished fifth, one place ahead of Phillips Idowu.

And the trio will be rivals again this weekend in one of the trials' highlights.

The first two in each event will automatically be selected, with the third-placed athlete on standby.

Shaftesbury's Nick Nieland faces formidable opponents in the javelin in former world record-holder Steve Backley, as well as Mick Hill and Mark Robertson. He will probably need to repeat his best of around 85m to earn a place in the team.

Sprinter Abe Oyepitan is another Shaftesbury star expected to make a bold bid.

She was the fastest British woman over 100m last year in 11.29sec and a gold medallist in the World Student Games in Beijing.

Another winner in Beijing, Natasha Danvers, is likely to be prominent in the 400m hurdles if she decides to fly in from her base in California to compete.

She may decide to wait for the European Championships in Munich in August.

Lyn Sprules (hammer), Julie Dunkley (shot) and Shani Anderson (200m) are other Shaftesbury women likely to figure prominently.

Sprules, ranked No 2 behind Lorraine Shaw (Sale Harriers Manchester) has been throwing consistently at around 60m this season.

Dunkley is Britain's No 1, and Anderson has been running well over 200m.

June 11, 2002 18:30