Collins put down an impressive marker against the British athletes

That is the view of UK Athletics performance director Max Jones after world 100m champion Kim Collins easily beat Britain's best in the North East.

"I'm sure you'll see them at their best in the Olympic trials," Jones said.

"I think you have to remember they were all involved in very fast relay races just before the 100m."

Collins and runner-up Aziz Zakari left Britain's Mark Lewis-Francis trailing in their wake in third place.

Gateshead report

And world indoor 60m champion Jason Gardener and world 100m bronze medallist Darren Campbell were even further behind.

It is all about peaking later in the season Mark Lewis-Francis

"MLF was very upset the relay was before the 100. Let's wait and see how they perform in Manchester before casting further judgement.

"Certainly in the relay they all looked good and I'm sure they'll produce much better showings with everything at stake there."

The trials are to be held in Manchester on 10-11 July.

The first two finishers gain automatic places in the team for the Athens Games, with a third place at the selectors' discretion.

Lewis-Francis said: "I am struggling with a little bit of an Achilles injury.

"But apart from that, I cannot really complain. It is all about peaking later in the season."

Gardener, who was sixth in Gateshead and has only recently returned from surgery on a hernia, said: "It is strange for me coming back from the operation, so working back into full fitness is new to me."