Jonathan Edwards is backing Phillips Idowu to emerge a better athlete after his Olympic near miss.

The triple jumper competes in his first competition for nine months at the Venizelia meeting in Chania.

The 30-year-old Olympic silver medallist missed the indoor season with a knee injury but is fit to defend his title at the Greek meeting, where his victory 12 months ago was the prelude to the best season of his life.

And Edwards, whose world record of 18.29 metres still remains untouchable after 14 years, is convinced his successor as British number one can build upon his Olympic success in Beijing, where he missed out on gold by only five centimetres.

The BBC commentator believes Idowu will be a contender for another podium finish at the World Championships in August, and said of the Londoner's silver medal: "He wasn't happy but he should have been, he had never won a medal at that level before."

Edwards is pleased Idowu now realises it was a huge achievement. He added: "Although he is world indoor champion, that is very different from winning a medal at the Olympic Games.

"Phillips was just a fraction away from being Olympic champion so I think, even though he is disappointed, he will have matured as an athlete with that experience and he will have more confidence than he has had before.

"I think it will change him in a way perhaps he doesn't quite realise yet. So I have high hopes for him."

Idowu, who has just completed a highly successful training camp in Italy, is looking forward to finally returning to serious action after his lengthy period away.

The three-time Olympian said: "Everyone tells me I am jumping better than last year and I'm feeling good. It is all going really well."

Meanwhile, Dwain Chambers, who scored a sprint double at the Papflessia meeting in Kalamata on Saturday, is not concerned organisers of tomorrow's meeting in Dessau have withdrawn his invitation to compete.

The snub came only a few days after the Golden League meeting in Berlin decided against contravening the policy of the European meetings cartel that bans former drug cheats from their events and also dropped an invite.

The 31-year-old Londoner, who ran 10.06 seconds for the 100m, said: "I got an email (from Dessau) saying they no longer wanted me so my next race will be in Montreuil on June 11.

"Not to worry. There are other places to run at. Other meeting organisers are coming to me rather than me approaching them."

Mark Lewis-Francis declared himself happy after making a return to action by winning a low-key 100m 'B' race at the Bedford International Games yesterday.

The 2004 Olympic 4x100m relay gold medallist was making his first track outing for 18 months following an Achilles tendon injury.

Lewis-Francis, who clocked 10.60sec, said: "Today was just to see how winter training has gone, I wanted to come out and leave injury free, get back in the blocks and a competitive environment."

"I was very nervous. Training has been going really well. Me and my coach said today is just the start; 10.6 with wind - I can't complain. I'm leaving with a smile on my face."

Jessica Ennis, a genuine heptathlon medal hope for Berlin, cleared a BIG meeting record of 1.89m in the high jump only three weeks after setting a personal best score at the IAAF Multi Events Challenge in Desenzano.