Britons are accused of ‘hiding’ by Lord Coe

LORD COE has accused Great Britain’s athletes of “hiding” from competition after a new-look squad endured their worst result at a World Indoor Championships in a decade.

A 23-strong team flew home from Portland with just three medals to their name, and, for the first time in a decade and just the second time since 1997, no golds, finishing the four-day event in joint-16th place in the medal table.

The team were without their leading names, with the likes of Mo Farah, Jessica Ennis-Hill and Greg Rutherford all absent, while a host of others also opted to forego the event in order to focus on their preparations for August’s Olympics in Rio. But IAAF president Coe questioned the wisdom of athletes who turned down the chance to gain valuable championship experience.

The two-time Olympic 1,500 metres champion, now the head of world athletics, said: “I want to see more athletes competing. I think some athletes are hiding away from competitions. And there is no antidote to competition.

“You are not going to get it on the training track. You are not going to get it at a Diamond League, where you are just following a pacemaker. You do need to learn the craft. These are events you do have to use to give your athletes the experience.

“I worry that the formative learning years, particularly in middle distance, are being lost on occasions like this. Nobody at the end of your career cares if you have won a Diamond League. At the end of a career your performances at championship level define you.”

Despite the meagre haul, which came courtesy of silver for Robbie Grabarz in the high jump and bronze for Lorraine Ugen and Tiffany Porter in the long jump and 60m hurdles respectively, British Athletics chief Neil Black said he was “content”.