BITTER rivalries usually unearth classic performances but even the biggest one in Irish athletics right now failed to set alight the Woodies DIY Track & Field Championships yesterday which were, worryingly, without some marquee names because of illness.
Defending 800m champion Thomas Chamney and his arch-rival and 2007 champion David Campbell (St Coca's) didn't quite produce their usual fireworks in an anti-climactic 800m.
'Chammers' sat tight while Campbell took them through a slow first 400m in 57 seconds, made his move with 150m to go and pulled away comfortably in the end to win in 1:49.87 to Campbell's 1:50.20 with Alan O'Brien (Crusaders) third.
As both only have the 'B' qualifying standard for the upcoming World Championships, yesterday's winner is likely to be selected for Berlin.
There's no love lost between them and Campbell had no quibbles yesterday, yet Chamney still wasn't offering much of an olive branch.
Talking
"Some people might say there's a bit of bad blood between us over the Olympic selection last year," Chamney said. "He did a lot of talking but I kept my mouth shut and did my talking here on the track today.
"He feels he was wronged last year and I felt maybe there was an element of being a sore loser about it. But it's great for the sport that there's two (Irish) guys running 1:45.
"Dave is world class, I'm just a shade ahead of him and I wasn't looking forward to racing him because he's a great competitor and I respect him as an athlete."
Campbell later took the 1500m title and said he was still hoping the selectors will, like last year, adjust the rules to help accommodate them both when the team is announced tomorrow.
But his hopes may be stymied considering Chamney has confirmed he wants to double up in Berlin.
With the World Championships just two weeks away, Derval O'Rourke and Paul Hession's late withdrawals were a worry.
Hession actually won yesterday's opening 100m heat in 11.32 into a big headwind but, suffering from a head cold, then withdrew, clearing the way for Derry Paralympic champion Jason Smyth to win in 10.78.
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