Champion Edwards facing empty feeling

Olympic champion Jonathan Edwards was facing the prospect of winning his first world indoor title today in front of an empty stadium - due to the scheduling of the triple jump competition.

To the amazement of Edwards and the British team management his event in Lisbon will begin at 11.30am and finish approximately two hours later.

That means there will be no live television coverage and only a small crowd around at that time of day.

"We know the finals must be shared over the three days of the meeting," said Max Jones the Performance Director for UK Athletics. "But you would have thought with him being an Olympic gold medallist his event might have been staged when more people would have been around to watch."

Edwards is favourite to win on only his second appearance in the Championships after finishing sixth in Toronto eight years ago. If he does, more protocol problems will be caused if the world outdoor record holder wins a medal.

The official opening ceremony is not until 3.00pm and the presentation of the medals to the first three finishers will take place an hour later.

However, knowing well in advance his competition would finish just after lunch, Edwards booked his flight home to Newcastle for five o'clock a month ago.

"We have contacted the IAAF and asked if it is possible for Jonathan if he wins a medal to put the awards ceremony on earlier," Jones said.

"Fortunately, the airport is only five or 10 minutes away from the venue so it will be fairly straightforward to get him there. But the presentation ceremony is a matter of protocol and must be addressed properly."

While Edwards is a genuine gold medal hope, two 21-year-old's - Christian Malcolm and Daniel Caines - will be hoping to make an impression in their 200m and 400m qualifying rounds.

Malcolm, last year's European indoor 200m champion, has been suffering from a cold but said: "I wouldn't be here if I didn't think I was fit enough to take part."

Birchfield Harrier Caines said: "I've come here well prepared and I'll be giving it my best shot."