NEWPORT sprinter Christian Malcolm's European Championship aim is simple - a place in the 200m final.

The 23-year-old from Eveswell is in Munich for the start of today's Championships and on Thursday begins his bid to reach Friday night's final - but he is far from impressed with his form so far this season.

Having finished a disappointing eighth in 200m final at the Commonwealth Games in Manchester last week, Malcolm is still short of the blistering form he achieved at the World Championships in Edmonton last August when he was running 20.08secs for fun during the heats.

He said: "My aim for these championships is to reach the final, it has come a few weeks too early for me and I'm not quite 100 percent.

"This season has been disappointing and I'm still struggling with tight hamstrings, so the aim is to reach the final and take it from there."

Problems with his hamstrings effects Malcolm's smooth running style, but having reached Olympic, World and two Commonwealth Games 200m finals in the last four years, reaching Friday's final is not beyond him.

Paula Radcliffe is in action in the women's 10,000m at 8pm tonight.