Williamson eyes main rival Chambers at world trials

SIMEON Williamson believes he's in the shape to run sub ten-seconds this summer.

HARD YARDS: Simeon Williamson is putting in the effort on and off the track to get into sub-ten second shape (Getty Images for Aviva)

The 23-year-old has established himself as the most likely challenger to Dwain Chambers at this weekend's Aviva UK Athletics Championships in Birmingham.

He finished second last year in a personal best 10.03 seconds but knows improvement is needed if he is serious about making the final at next month's World Championships in Berlin.

"I realised last year at the Olympics that I needed to run a minimum of ten seconds dead to qualify for a world final - and then go even quicker to stand a chance of a medal," said Williamson, who has a season's best 10.09 sec.

"I'm feeling better than I have in previous years and I'm happy with training and the times I've been posting. I know I've got it in me.

"I am starting to run at bigger and better meetings and I'm becoming more consistent.

"It's all coming together and I've got a lot of reasons to be confident."

Williamson also believes he is thriving by having some competition for his place in Berlin.

A hamstring injury troubled him during last week's Olympics and he failed to make the semi-finals but a hard winter, including time with Asafa Powell in Jamaica, is finally reaping dividends. 

"Every year people are getting better and others are coming through," he added.

"It makes everyone want to push on - you take notice of the other guys times, they keep you focused."

Beijing Olympian Craig Pickering has yet to run the 10.21 second qualifying ‘A' standard but six others have - Chambers, Williamson, James Dasaolu, Marlon Devonish, Tyrone Edgar and Harry Aikines-Aryteey.

"I'm a lot better than my ranking shows and I feel quite good about the trials and all being well I will qualify," said Pickering, who was third at last year's national championships.

"There is a real chance of seven or even eight people battling out in Birmingham, which is great.

"But it all comes down to what happens on the day - sometimes people over-perform and sometimes people under-perform."

BRITAIN'S 2009 100m TOP TEN 

1.    Dwain Chambers - 10.06

2.    Simeon Williamson - 10.09

3.    James Desaolu - 10.09

4.    Marlon Devonish - 10.11

5.    Tyrone Edgar - 10.11

6.    Harry Aikines-Aryeetey - 10.17

7.    Craig Pickering - 10.23*

8.    Rikki Fifton - 10.25*

9.    James Ellington - 10.27*

10. Jeffrey Lawal-Balogun - 10.28*

UKA 'A' qualifying standard for IAAF World Championships - 10.21 seconds