IF ever there were gold medals given out for hand-wringing or head-shaking then Great Britain athletics would be in pole-vault position.

Who needs a national anthem when the climax to the World Athletics Championships in Paris are accompanied by refrains that will become oh so depressingly familiar unless there is a change in attitude.

There's the 'been troubled by injury' excuses; the 'we're over-raced' routine; the 'under-funding shambles'; the 'lack of a co-ordinated training programme' jibe; and last, but far from least, the 'ruling powers don't know what's needed' wheeze.

Come off it. What Paris displayed was that now that our golden elite corps of athletes has been further dissipated by the recent retirements of Jonathan Edwards and Colin Jackson, then basically we're at the bottom end of a cycle from which we can only escape if we meld natural talent with a steely-eyed determination.

Messrs Edwards, Jackson, and before them Linford Christie, Sally Gunnell et al did not get where they were - gold, gold and gold - without displaying an unquenchable desire to succeed, a yearning to be first.

And even though we are a nation still dogged by the 'it's not the winning, but the taking part that counts' ethos, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being winners in any field of sport, provided it's done legally and without the assistance of cheating or chemical stimulants.

But our current athletics scene seems to be infected by the shoulder-shruggers or patrolled by people who do the talk without necessarily doing the walk.

Also, there are far more athletes who are earning their living - and not before time too - funded by Lottery money. But now that they are getting that cash then they should be earning it.

There are several notable exceptions, Steve Backley for one. He is another of our dwindling band of world-class performers, but not for him the 'well I gave it my best shot' bleating. After failing to make the crucial business end to a javelin discipline he has graced for well more than a decade, Backley was visibly smarting at his failure to be in contention.

He declared that his flop in the Paris games had only made him more determined to come back with a bang in next year's Olympic Games in Athens. This, from a man in the twilight of his career, and who could justifiably claim to have put his body on the line more than was necessary.

But Backley's competitive spirit burns like a laser as it similarly flares within Darren Campbell.

The Manchester marvel was not exactly written off before the championships, he was just barely mentioned amid the hype of so many young lions coming through. Yet it was Campbell who charged back with two medals - in the 100m and 4x100metres relay - and agonisingly missed out on a third in the 200m.

Elsewhere among the men, inspiration was in short supply. If anything, it was to be unearthed among the GB women, who, shorn of definite gold medal prospect Paula Radcliffe through a double bout of injury and illness, provided the nation's best moments and Britain's only other two medals.

In the 800 metres, Kelly Holmes was eclipsed only by world star Maria Mutola, whom Holmes has enlisted as her training partner to try to stay on the heels of the two-lap titan.

Then, there was Hayley Tullett. 'Who?', you may ask. Well, have-a-go Hayley achieved no less than a personal best - the only one in the eight days of competition by a British athlete - and a bronze medal for her lung-busting efforts in the 1,500 metres final. No hype, no pre-race bluster, and given no chance. Yet we should all hail Hayley's comet as the way forward.

Hit back at TKO. Send your views to sport@ycp.co.uk or write to Tony Kelly, Sportsdesk, Evening Press, 76-86 Walmgate, York, YO1 9YN.

Updated: 10:16 Tuesday, September 02, 2003