Lewis-Francis to miss Olympics

Athletics : British sprinter Mark will miss this year's Olympic Games after picking up an Achilles injury during warm weather training in Cyprus.

The former world junior 100 metres champion tore his Achilles during his spell at the training camp there and will require surgery.

Lewis-Francis, who anchored the British 4x100m relay team to the gold medal at the last Olympics in Athens, is understood to be distraught at missing the Games in Beijing this summer.

His training is understood to have gone brilliantly during his stay abroad and his enthusiasm for the sport has been rekindled after a couple of very lean years when he has not realised his potential.

It is not the first occasion he has been troubled by Achilles problems and on this occasion expert medical advice has been taken to have the problem finally sorted out.