ATHLETICS enthusiasts are set to see a dramatic pre-Olympic showdown between snubbed Welsh ace Iwan Thomas and his 400m rivals at the Norwich Union Classic at Gateshead International Stadium on Bank Holiday Monday.

The European and Commonwealth champion was controversially left out of the Great Britain team after missing the trial at Birmingham.

Thomas insists he was told by a selector that he need not run the trial and could have extra time to recover from a hamstring injury.

But he was horrified to find himself left out of the team for Sydney in favour of World indoor champion Jamie Baulch, who finished third behind Mark Richardson and Sean Baldock at the Alexander Stadium.

Now Thomas has the opportunity to see that the selectors finish up with egg on their faces when he takes on Baulch and Richardson at Gateshead.

Thomas, who may yet go to Australia as a member of the 400m relay squad, or as a replacement for Richardson if the IAAF insist on a ban for alleged drug abuse, is determined to show he should have made the team in the individual event.

He said: "I feel I've not been given the opportunity to prove myself.

"I'll run a lot between now and the Olympics just to show people.

"The times at the trial weren't fast and I'm going to do my damnedest to get out by the end of the season and run faster than any other Briton.

"I'm not saying I will win at Gateshead, but you never know."

Thomas just failed to make the Olympic qualifying standard in Sweden on Tuesday night, finishing fourth in 45.82 secs.

Thomas has received little sympathy from his great rival, Richardson.

Richardson added fuel to the controversy by saying: "It would have been very wrong of any selector to give Thomas an assurance that a place would be left open.

"It was a difficult decision, but Iwan did take a calculated rislk by not being at the trials.

"He did not have the luxury of the Olympic qualifying time and it would have been harsh on Jamie if he had been left out because of one blip."

*The North-East compete at the Inter Counties Track and Field Championships at Barnsley today and tomorrow. Road racing enthusiasts can enter the South Shields five miler tomorrow (11am).

l A decision on doping allegations against Linford Christie, Doug Walker and Gary Cadogan will not announced until Monday at the earliest.

The International Amateur Athletics Federation's three-man arbitration panel have spent four days hearing evidence for and against the athletes, who all tested positive for the anabolic steroid nandrolone.

All three declared their innocence and were cleared by the UK Athletics, but the IAAF upheld their suspensions internationally pending the arbitration hearing.

IAAF spokesman Giorgio Reineri said the arbitration committee, meeting in Monte Carlo, were considering all the evidence.

''I don't think it (a decision) will be made before Monday at the earliest. I think they finished hearing all the evidence yesterday morning and now they are discussing it.''

The athletes could be banned for two years if the arbitration hearing goes against them.

In Christie's case, it would be a meaningless suspension as the former Olympic 100 metres champion has been retired for the past three years