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Page last updated at 15:30 GMT, Monday, 24 August 2009 16:30 UK

Van Commenee warning for Team GB

Jessica Ennis (left) and Phillips Idowu won Team GB's two golds at the World Championships
Ennis (left) and Idowu won Team GB's two golds at the World Championships

The head coach of UK Athletics, Charles van Commenee, has warned Britain's athletes not to rest on their laurels after a successful World Championships.

Team GB won two gold, two silver and two bronze medals in their best showing in the competition since Seville 1999.

Van Commenee said: "It's important we build on this success. There's not much time to go until London.

"There was some pessimism in some circles so it's always nice to look back and say that wasn't necessary."

Great Britain finished eighth in the medal table, and Jessica Ennis kick-started the team's promising haul with gold in the heptathlon.

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Phillips Idowu claimed gold in the triple jump, while 1500m runner Lisa Dobriskey and the men's 4x400m relay team won silver.

The 4x100m men's relay team earned bronze along with 800m runner Jenny Meadows.

Ennis and Dobriskey will be competing at the British Grand Prix in Gateshead next Monday.

Sprint legend and BBC Sport pundit Michael Johnson had plenty of praise for Team GB's achievements, but also echoed Van Commenee's thoughts.

He said: "That's a dramatic improvement over the last few years, and it's encouraging and very impressive.

"But you have to look at it as something to build on.

"The concern is what happens from here," added Johnson, who still holds the 400m world record and was the 200m world record holder until Usain Bolt broke it at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

"You can't be content with what you have. We saw lots of good things in Athens, but the foot wasn't kept on the pedal, and my concern going forward would be that the same thing might happen again."

You have to look at it as something to build on. The concern is what happens from
here

Michael Johnson

Van Commenee's biggest challenge now could be to ensure that does not happen

He said: "There's a long way to go but I would rather have this result than going home with two or three obviously.

"What we've done so far is try to get a better sense of accountability amongst coaches and athletes.

"If these people actually work together we can even do much better than this.

"I don't think results come overnight. It's a result of many years of hard work done by the athletes, together with the coaches, and most likely also by previous team management.

"It's encouraging, but having said that I am also aware that still lots has to be done."



see also
Steve Cram column
23 Aug 09 |  Athletics
Superb Ennis wins heptathlon gold
16 Aug 09 |  Athletics
Idowu wins Britain's second gold
18 Aug 09 |  Athletics
GB win two silvers on final day
23 Aug 09 |  Athletics
GB quartet seal stunning bronze
22 Aug 09 |  Athletics
British pair light up Gateshead
31 Aug 09 |  Athletics
Rutherford sets long jump record
20 Aug 09 |  Athletics
Meadows surges to bronze in 800m
20 Aug 09 |  Athletics
Athletics on the BBC
21 Apr 11 |  Athletics


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