Chambers tops the world rankings with a smile on his face

By David Jordan, Sportsbeat, in Sheffield

RUNNING angry saw Dwain Chambers collect European gold last season but fast forward to the present and the controversial sprinter has powered his way to number one in the world with a smile on his face.

ALL SMILES: Dwain Chambers is in relaxed mood this season and it is already paying dividends (Getty Images)

Chambers clocked the fastest 60m time in the world this year - 6.50 seconds - to collect his third consecutive victory at the UK Indoor Championships and World Trials in Sheffield.

Last year the 31-year-old was running with a sizeable chip on his shoulder. Shunned in his quest to compete at Beijing 2008, Chambers was a bull in pursuit of a red rag in 2009.

He romped to indoor victory in Turin to be crowned Europe's finest last March, before finishing sixth at the World Championships in ten seconds flat.

A year on and Chambers is mellowing like a fine wine. He blitzed to the top of the world rankings and Maurice Greene's world record of 6.39 seconds is not beyond the realms of possibility at the World Indoor Championships in Doha next month.

 "I've done a lot of things wrong in my past and I wish I could have done those things differently but that isn't going to change," said Chambers.

"What I can do is produce results on the track - that is the best thing I can do for the image of British athletics.

"I know I can't afford to take anything easy because there are so many top young guys coming through.

"It's great to go to Doha - it is great to know I'm going to be part of that team and it gives me something to focus on."

Chambers also spoke of his sympathy for former Olympic gold medallist Mark Lewis-Francis, who anchored Great Britain to sprint relay gold at Athens 2004 but has since seen his career nosedive.

Lewis-Francis, once the dubbed the world's fastest teenager, is now 27 and without National Lottery funding.  However, he has made an injury-free start to 2010 and while he disappointed in Sheffield, has managed 6.59 this season.

And Chambers was quick to point out he also knows how it feels to be left out in the cold.

"I'm very pleased that Mark is still competing with us and that he hasn't walked away from the sport," said Chambers, who tested positive for banned steroid THG in 2003 before serving a two-year ban.

"We have had a personal chat about our circumstances and, unfortunately for me, I know a lot of what he is going through.

"I don't see him as a rival, I see him as a friend and someone I want to help get back to his best."