Marlon Devonish will hand his Great Britain team-mate Mark Lewis-Francis an international lifeline when he decides to concentrate on the 200 metres in next month's European Championships.
The Coventry Godiva surprised everyone at the Norwich Union AAA and European trials on Saturday when he left a string of illustrious names in his wake and claimed the first national 100m title of his career.
Devonish's victory and an outstanding second place from Tyrone Edgar relegated Lewis-Francis into third position and with just three short sprint places available in the team for Gothenburg the Darlaston runner appeared in danger of missing out.
With Devonish and Edgar through by right and a third spot to be picked by the selectors there had been speculation that Britain's fastest man this season Dwain Chambers - who pulled out at the semi-final stage with an injury, would pip Lewis-Francis to the remaining berth.
But after winning the 200m last night Devonish - who with Lewis-Francis was part of the GB 4x100m squad that stormed to relay glory at the Athens Olympics two years ago, all but announced his intention to concentrate on the longer distance.
That should enable Edgar and Lewis-Francis and Chambers to go for gold in Sweden in just over three weeks time and give the Birchfield Harrier the chance to salvage something from a dreadful campaign.
Under pressure from UK Athletics to make changes in his career the 23-year-old left his long-time coach Steve Platt 12 months ago to join a group coached by Tony Lester in Eton.
And although he looked to have shed some of the weight that has hampered him in recent years and ran a prom-ising 10.2 seconds just before the Commonwealth Games in Australia, he endured a wretched time in Melbourne.
Not only was he disqualified in the 100m semi-finals for false-starting he was later involved in a handover mix up with Devonish on the anchor leg of the relay and the baton was dropped.
Since then he has struggled to make his presence felt on the Grand Prix circuit and struggled with tendonitis but went into last weekend's trials with hope of getting back to his best.
An impressive run in the semi-final combined with Chambers' withdrawal made him many people's favourites for the crown but he never challenged in the final.
He was, however, sure that his fellow Midlander would help him out and expressed his confidence that he would make the trip.
"I ran a windy 10.13 in the semi then never got the best of starts in the final but I still came third and got a medal.
Hopefully I will be on the place to the European Championships. I am just coming back off my injury. It is in the back of my mind so I didn't really want to go and injure myself.
"It is up to the selectors. I came here ran the race and did just enough to get on the team so at the end of the day it's up to them now.
"I have got the standard, I should be selected - I am not going to say no that would be stupid, I did just enough to get on the team.
As for Chambers' superb time at the Norwich Union British Grand Prix on Tyne-side, Lewis-Francis added: "He's only done it once - he's not done it again.
"I am not going to stand here and bad-mouth Dwain, He came back and did what he had to do. But I think I've done just enough to get on the team."
If Devonish does not oblige and chooses to double up there is a suggestion that Lewis-Francis would have to race Chambers at Crystal Palace later this month with the last place up for grabs.
It's not a prospect that concerns him: "If it comes down to a race I am ready," he said. "I am feeling almost like the old Mark. Training is going well. Me and Tony [Lester] are definitely connecting in training and I have got a couple of more races lined up."
