Lewis-Francis still looking up to Greene

Mark Lewis-Francis says he still considers Maurice Greene the world's best 100 metres runner - despite the two defeats the world champion suffered last weekend.

The American was soundly thrashed on both occasions by European number one Dwain Chambers.

The double setback prompted the "Kansas Cannonball" to pull out of the IAAF Grand Prix meeting in Lausanne but the world record holder is back in action in the Paris Golden League meeting.

And Lewis-Francis, who split Chambers and Jason Gardener when the British trio pushed Greene down into sixth place last Sunday in Sheffield, is relishing taking on his hero again.

He said: "I still rate him world number one - you cannot take that away from him.

"He's been around and at the top of the tree for a few years now. Maybe he's not fired-up as much as he used to be.

"Yes, Maurice has been there and done it. But I'm still only 19 and must continue my progress. My job is to start beating him and take his titles away. It is the only way to think. I must be positive."

Lewis-Francis added: "It was awesome to beat him on home turf and in such a great field.

"I thought I might have finished last, it was so strong. But as it was, I lost out on winning by only a couple-of-hundredths-of-a-second."