Athletics: Decision day for Chris Donaldson

It is decision day for sprinter Chris Donaldson, who has been fighting a losing battle to shake off an achilles tendon injury in time for the Olympic Games 100m.

Donaldson, 25, will announce Wednesday afternoon whether he will contest Friday's 100m heats. He is widely expected to withdraw.

The left leg injury has not been responding to treatment. Donaldson would not talk after what looked to be an unhappy track workout yesterday.

Athletics coach Steve Hollings said the sprinter was "fine" training in built-up road shoes, but lacked confidence in spikes, which have a lower heel.

"One of the options may be whether we can see if we can get him some alternative footwear," Hollings said.

"Certainly he needs something with more of a built up heel on it if it's going to give him some relief. There's a lot of tension there."

Donaldson had not worked out in spikes for three days before he tried them out yesterday, when he managed gentle stride outs only in them.

He may opt to conserve himself for the 200m, his stronger event. He would have an extra five days to get over the injury if he opted out of the 100m.

A decision on his future at the Games would be made today after medical staff were consulted, athletics manager Ken Simpson said.

Donaldson would have a scan on the tendon, team doctor Chris Milne said.

The injury had not responded to treatment as well as had been hoped, he said.

"The achilles can be pretty temperamental," Dr Milne said.

It would take huge efforts from Donaldson to reach Olympic semifinals in either the 100m or 200m, even if fully fit.

He was eliminated in the first round of the Olympic 100m and 200m at the Atlanta Olympic Games.

In 1997, he made the 200m world championship semifinals, then the quarterfinals last year.

Meanwhile, high jumper Glenn Howard cleared 2.15m with ease off a full run-up last night, Simpson told NZPA.

Howard has had a tendon problem in his take-off foot.

- NZPA