Walker’s stunning win last year played a crucial role in Britain’s success and Golding is capable of

Walker’s stunning win last year played a crucial role in Britain’s success and Golding is capable of following in his victorious spikemarks. Indeed, the 24-year-old Blackheath Harrier has already clocked 20.20sec this summer, a time that only three Britons have ever bettered – John Regis (19.87), Linford Christie (20.09) and Golding himself, who recorded 20.18 when winning the Commonwealth title in Kuala Lumpur last September.STEVE BACKLEYJavelin: It was on his European Cup debut at Gateshead 10 years ago that Backley made his big breakthrough, beating Jan Zelezny. His Czech rival is back in action following a shoulder injury but the great Briton will have to contend with other throwers who have shown better form so far this summer: The Russian Sergey Makarov, Aki Parvianen of Finland, Kostas Gastoudis of Greece and one from the German trio Peter Blank, Boris Henry and Raymond Hecht. Having re-established himself as world No 1 last year, Backley will be anxious to make his mark. And Britain will want maximum points from him.JUDY OAKESShot: Unlike their male counterparts, the women’s team will not be travelling with genuine hopes of victory. They will, however, make at least one mark in the record books Or, at least, Judy Oakes will. At the age of 41 the Croydon Harrier will be making her 11th appearance in the European Cup.

Her first was in Helsinki in 1977 in a different athletics age. Valery Borzov and Irena Szewinska were still competing, not to mention Sebastian Coe and Steve Ovett. The extraordinary thing about the remarkable Oakes is that she has got better with age She finished sixth back in 1977 Last year she was second.. GIBBY’S, Old Montreal Friday evening.

They cheered Jackie Stewart when he walked into the fashionable restaurant with his family, and patrons who knew him only by reputation rose to sing a spontaneous verse of Happy Birthday And indeed it was The triple world champion was in the mood for celebration. It was his ‘fifty-tenth’ birthday, son Mark had just made Jackie and his wife Helen grandparents for the fourth time – and there was the small matter the previous day of the sale of Stewart Grand Prix to Ford Motor Company. You can take rumours of pounds 100m with sufficient salt to empty Bonneville, but either way Stewart was not looking too badly on it as he dined.
Ford first discussed collaboration with him and his elder son Paul four years ago, when the struggling motor giant appealed for guidance during the flight back to Detroit from Montreal. The result was the Stewarts’ Proposal for Partnership, and the formation of Stewart Grand Prix. Ford pumped a significant amount of money into the venture – including, it is thought, the construction of the team’s new 80,000 sq.ft headquarters – but precise figures have never been vouchsafed.