Stick To Shaking Hands, Steve!

Steve Backley had an awkward moment on Saturday night at the European Athletics Championships in Barcelona when he attempted to kiss the winner of the women's javelin, Germany's Linda Stahl. Perhaps I should explain. Backley, the four times former European men's javelin champion, was asked to present the medals at the iconic Olympic stadium perched on top of Montjuic Hill and was unsure what the protocol was. "I thought I should kiss the three girls on the cheek as dignatories tend to do when they hand out medals," Backley explained, out in the Catalan capital on Radio Five Live duties. "The bronze medallist and the silver medallist didn't seem to mind but when I leant forward to kiss the winner she stuck out a long, stiff arm and shook my hand, which made me feel a little embarassed." Now Backley, happily married with two, beautiful children, was always seen as one of the more handsome athletes on the scene back in his day, so to be snubbed by the javelin champion - especially the javelin champion who has a long way to go before she emulates Backley's haul of four golds - was a new experience for the man who broke world records, won Commonwealth titles and also took silvers at world and Olympic level.