Phillips Idowu can lead way with gold in Beijing

Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards today backed Phillips Idowu to match his feat by winning triple jump gold at the Beijing Olympics.

And with 100 days to go to the Games, Edwards tipped six other athletes he reckons have the best chance of delivering medals for Britain.

Hackney-born Idowu was disqualified from the 2004 Athens Games but goes to Beijing full of confidence after winning the world indoor title in Spain last month with a British record of 17.75metres - a feat almost forgotten amid the furore over the selection of drugs cheat Dwain Chambers.

Edwards, who won a gold at Sydney in 2000, said: "Idowu's jumping was stunning in Valencia and he did what perhaps nobody thought he was capable of doing.

"I've known him for many years and I knew he was hugely talented but vulnerable. It's given him great confidence and he can really produce a big jump in Beijing."

Like Idowu, marathon world record holder Paula Radcliffe has "got a bit of baggage" at Olympic finals, having crashed out of the Athens race. She will have to answer questions about her fit-ness, state of mind and ability to cope with the Beijing climate to add a first Olympic medal to her world, European and Commonwealth golds.

"She's never won an Olympic medal and everyone will be enthralled to see her performance," Edwards said. "There's a question over her injury and her mind and the conditions."

Edwards says Haile Gebrselassie's withdrawal from the marathon indicates smog is going to be a problem in the Chinese capital. He added: "When somebody like Gebrselassie, who knows the marathon inside out, says there is a problem then you know it is an issue.

"Gebrselassie has never won an Olympic marathon, so you are looking like you might deny someone an Olympic medal because of the conditions and that can't be right."

British hopes on the track in Beijing will rest exclusively with the women's squad, according to Edwards.

Jessica Ennis and Kelly Sotherton were genuine medal prospects in the heptathlon, he said.

Sotherton trained with former Olympic champion Denise Lewis, and Edwards reckons a good javelin will be pivotal to her chances of improving on a bronze in Athens.

He said: "I'm a big Kelly Sotherton fan. She is a tremendous athlete and if she can get the javelin right that will give her confidence. She and Jessica both have a chance of winning medals."

Edwards believes the rivalry between Christine Ohuruogu and Nicola Sanders in the 400m has echoes of the battles between Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett in the 1980s.

He feels Ohuruogu will prevail this time, adding: "She's very dangerous and she can mix it with the best. There's a lovely contrast in styles and they can produce under pressure."

Apart from those six, only Jeanette Kwayke in the 100m would have any prospect of a medal, said Edwards.