Dwain Chambers has been to Hell's Kitchen and back since he failed his drugs test, and the latest return to the track for the former teenage prodigy, reality TV star and rugby league wannabe did little to clear up his future. His modest 10.28sec at the Alexander Stadium in Birmingham yesterday scarcely backed up his prediction of winning a 100metres medal at the Olympics and might have some suggesting that he now talks faster than he runs.

Contrary to reports, Chambers's legal team has still to decide on the best way forward. If Chambers, who completed a two-year ban in 2005, is to compete in Beijing, he needs to defeat the BOA bylaw that prevents all doping offenders from appearing on sport's biggest stage. However, he must also finish first or second at next month's trials and achieve the Olympic qualifying time of 10.21sec. So far, in his two comeback runs in Greece and the Midlands, he has failed to do that. Tyrone Edgar, Marlon Devonish and Harry Aikines-Aryeetey have all gone faster this season, but Chambers remains positive.

“I have the talent. I have been in the sport clean, I have been in the sport dirty and I have proved I can come back after three years out and still be No1 in Britain,” he said after his win at the low-key British Athletics League meeting. “I believe in myself and that I have a talent beyond what everyone else has.”

Even developments elsewhere, with a new world record of 9.72sec, have not reined in the braggadocio. “I would not do it if I did not believe I could do something in the Olympic Games,” he added. “We have Usain Bolt, who has sent the world record into another stratosphere, but I still remain positive about what I can do because it is all up here. I've dealt with a lot and it has made me stronger.”

Nick Collins, Chambers's lawyer, confirmed last night that a legal challenge to the BOA bylaw may not be lodged in the High Court until after the trials, which start in Birmingham on July 11. “One line of thought is why bring an application on something that might not happen?” he said.

That is a depressing scenario for UK Athletics (UKA) as it would mean the saga dragging on until perilously close to the Olympics. Chambers added: “It will happen at the right time. We can't push it. The first step is to qualify for the team.” He will next run at Crystal Palace on Saturday.

According to UKA's selection criteria, even a good performance at the trials is no guarantee of a place in Beijing. As well as achieving the “A” standard and finishing first or second, Chambers must meet one of three other criteria based on a rising profile of performance, regularly attaining the qualifying standard or a record of making the final at the Olympics or World Championships. UKA believes that there are significant grey areas in its rules compared with the first-past-the-post method that caused a furore when Chambers triumphed at the world indoor trials in February.

Chambers inevitably dominated the weekend, given that it was his first 100metres in Britain for 22 months, but that meant more notable performances were again overshadowed. After Andy Baddeley's nostalgic turn in the Dream Mile in Oslo on Friday, Phillips Idowu, the world indoor champion, recorded a leap of 17.55metres in the triple jump in Crete that would have bagged him a silver medal at the past two Olympics.