YURIY Borzakovskiy, the 800m prodigy who runs for Russia tomorrow at Scotstoun, has been banned by his coach from the World Championships. Vyacheslav Yevstratov fears the world indoor champion risks burn-out. ''He is only 20 and has already competed in a number of major international championships over the last two seasons,'' said Yevstratov.
''You just can't go on like that - he needs time to mature, to develop himself mentally and physically, otherwise he is in real danger of ruining his talent.''
Russia's head, coach Valery Kulichenko, disagrees. He hopes Borzakovsky, second in Rome last night, will still go to Canada and will speak to him today in Glasgow.
Olympic 800m champion Nils Schumann is also doubtful for Edmonton. He is out of this weekend's German championships with a thigh injury.
l The steeplechase originated as a cross-country horse race between rural churches. In athletics, it is the most brutal track event, with four barriers and a water jump per lap, and it has its international match debut for women in Glasgow tomorrow.
Tara Krzywicki, like her father Dick, played football for Wales. She was once also an aspiring equestrian, and was short-listed for the three-day event at the European championships: ''I fell off at the second last fence - into the water jump.''
Six of her seven races have been at 2000m, rather than the 3000m being run today. Her main rivals, one-time US balerina, Elizabeth Jackson and Russian Yekaterina Volkova,are ranked respectively third and fourth fastest ever, and have run more than 20 seconds faster than Krzywicki.
l So poor is the standard of UK women's sprinting, in contrast to their male counterparts, that the women's 100m has been left off tomorrow's Scotstoun programme, but there is still the chance to see the durable and versatile Gail Devers.
Olympic 100m champion in 1992 and '96, she goes in the 100m hurdles, at which she hopes to win a third world title in Edmonton at the age of 34.
Once 48 hours from losing both feet due to Graves Disease, and now on daily thyroid medication, the preacher's daughter recalls how she ballooned from 95lb. to 137lb. As an athlete on the random test programme, she could not take the pills which would have aleviated the side effects of radiation treatment: ''I was crawling on my hands and knees - I can't describe the pain.''
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