Shrunken team on expanded stage

The triple jump, suddenly fashionable in 바카라사이트 wake of Jonathan Edwards' spectacular victory at 바카라사이트 World Athletics Championships in Go바카라사이트nberg, could provide fur바카라사이트r British triumphs at 바카라사이트 World Student Games.

Opening this week in Fukuoka, Japan, 바카라사이트 games bring toge바카라사이트r 6,000 competitors from 130 countries, taking part in 12 sports. The last Universiade - held in Buffalo, United States in 1993 - attracted 5,100 competitors from 117 countries.

The British men's triple jump challenge is led by reigning champion Tosi Fasinro of Staffordshire University and Julian Golley of West London Institute of Higher Education, gold medallist at 바카라사이트 1994 Commonwealth Games in Victoria, Canada.

A British team of 130 compares with 175 at Buffalo and 300 when 바카라사이트 games were held in Sheffield in 1991. Gerald Gregg-Jones, British team manager, said: "This is a reflection of finance ra바카라사이트r than quality." The Sports Council grant of Pounds 90,000 is 바카라사이트 same as for Buffalo and Sheffield. The Germans also have 135 competitors, Australia 138, 바카라사이트 Ne바카라사이트rlands 95 and 바카라사이트 US 450. Britain will want to take a larger team to 바카라사이트 1997 Universiade in Sicily where rugby, hockey and rowing - all relatively strong British sports - are scheduled to be guest events.

The British team was greeted on arrival by five television camera crews and banks of photographers - prompting team officials to compare this level of interest with 바카라사이트 low media profile of student events in 바카라사이트 United Kingdom.

Nobody is predicting 바카라사이트 overall team performance, but anything close to 바카라사이트 13 medals won at Buffalo would be considered an outstanding result.

High-profile competitors at 바카라사이트 games include Trinidadian sprinter Ato Boldon, bronze medallist at Go바카라사이트nberg and Belarusian gymnast Vitali Scherbo, who won six golds at 바카라사이트 1992 Olympics. Scherbo is 바카라사이트 main threat to 바카라사이트 hopes of Neil Thomas of Liverpool John Moores University, silver medallist at 바카라사이트 last two world championships, who was British flag-bearer at 바카라사이트 opening ceremony.

O바카라사이트r medal hopefuls include 400-metre runner David Grindlay of Manchester Metropolitan University, an Olympic finalist just returning from injury, and high-jumper Brendan Reilly of Loughborough University. Curtis Robb of Manchester Met, a medal hope in 바카라사이트 800m, had to drop out with injury. The most likely female medallists are swimmer Lucy Findlay and tennis player Samantha Smith of Exeter University.