Dwain Chambers breezed through to the final of the men's 60 metres at the World Indoor by rolling back the years to a time before he was British athletics' most infamous drugs cheat.

Whatever the rights and wrongs and morals of Chambers' second comeback, there is no doubt that he has got himself into peak shape at the right time. Training alone in a London park and being shorn of funding and medical back-up has clearly not done him any harm. After a comfortable opening heat, Chambers equalled his eight-year-old personal best of 6.55 seconds to make it through to tonight's final.

It looked like becoming a battle with Michael Rodgers of the USA, who was a hundredth of a second quicker than Chambers in qualifying, and Nigeria's Olusoji Fasuba, who clocked a world lead of 6.49.

Amid the good performances - Jeanette Kwakye's national record of 7.13 in the 60m semi-final and Kelly Sotherton equalling her personal best in the shot put - it was the Chambers isue that dominated the first day. Everyone has an opinion and, while most rational minds would advocate better tests and longer bans, there is no doubt there is a hypocritical tinge to the furore his presence here has caused.

After all, there were three other athletes competing on day one who have doping convictions, including a Briton, Carl Myerscough, in the shot. It is also worth remembering that Chambers did actually make his comeback from his drugs ban in 2006 and there was minimal fuss until Darren Campbell refused to join him on a lap of honour after the relay success at the European Championships.

Intriguingly, news emerged today that Chambers may have somewhere left to run after tonight after all. Euromeetings, the promoters body that had said its 51 members had agreed not to invite those with doping offences to their meetings, began to backtrack, with one member admitting they were reconsidering after being told a blanket ban could face a legal challenge.

Whatever happens tonight, it means this may not be the end of the road.