COMMONWEALTH champion Michael East, like every other world-class British athlete, has turned down the opportunity to compete in tonight's Lausanne Super Grand Prix.

Instead, the Portsmouth athlete is totally focused on this weekend's Norwich Union Olympic trials in Manchester in a bid to gain selection for next month's Games in Athens.

East, after running a personal best 1,500 metres time of three minutes 32.37 seconds in last Friday's TDK Golden League meeting in Rome, would be a welcome addition to the Swiss meeting.

One of the best events on the world circuit, Lausanne has lost out on a lot of stars with the British and USA trials, which begin on Friday, both taking place so close to it.

UK Athletics performance director Max Jones welcomed the decision of his potential Olympic medal-winners to concentrate on the trials which double as the AAA Championships and get under way in Manchester on Saturday.

Jones said: "I suppose the big names could have fitted in a competition in Lausanne and recovered in time for Manchester.

"The trials are always special whatever championships they might be for, but particularly so this year, when doubling as the Olympic trials."

East, assured of being chosen for the 1,500m after moving into sixth place on the UK all-time ranking lists behind headline names including Steve Cram, Seb Coe and Steve Ovett, wants to double and also run over 800m in the Olympics.

"I don't think I'll be taking anyone's place as the 800m comes after the 1,500m in Athens," said Reading-born East, who has still to achieve the 1:46 qualifying mark.

East added: "I haven't got it yet but neither has anyone else. Really I don't think it will come in Manchester where it is likely to be a tactical race.

"So I'm looking around for another meeting afterwards to do it and already I've been given a couple of offers to consider."

East admitted he had not realised how fast he had run when finishing seventh - ahead of world record-holder Hicham El Guerrouj - in Rome.

The British number one was just over a second away from finishing third. Cutting over two seconds from his personal best and beating El Guerrouj into the bargain was a huge bonus.