Dwain Chambers clinched victory in his first 100metres race since 2006 in a photo-finish after clocking a time of 10.25 seconds at the Papaflessia meeting in Greece.

Running in lane four in a field of six athletes, the 30-year-old Londoner, who had one false start, was slow out of the blocks and trailed American Mike Skiles in the first 70m at the Messiniakou Stadium in the city of Kalamata.

But Chambers then turned on the power in the final stages to sneak up on Skiles and take victory by the narrowest of margins.

Skiles finished with the same time of 10.25secs while Canadian Nick Macrozonaris was third with a time of 10.48.

Chambers' time comfortably sees him surpass the benchmark of 10.85 seconds which is the qualifying standard for the British Olympic trials which double as the national championships in July.

The sprinter declared himself happy with his performance immediately afterwards in a brief trackside interview with Greek state television channel ET1.

"It was a good race and to be honest I'm just pleased to be here competing first and foremost," he said.

"It's great to get back into competition in the 100 metres and it felt great to be out there performing."

Chambers, who served a two-year drugs suspension, is currently preparing himself for the launch of a High Court action against the British Olympic Association (BOA) in an attempt to overturn his lifetime Olympic ban.

When asked what his plans were for the near future Chambers, who stormed to a 60m silver medal at the World Indoor Championships in March, was again defiant.

"I'm sticking around," he said. "Beijing is still there for me. I'll be there, don't worry."

Earlier Chambers was quoted in Greek newspaper Sportday as saying he was positive at the prospect of overturning his Olympic ban and claimed he could win a medal in Beijing if allowed to compete.

"I'm optimistic I will be in China," Chambers said. "The ruling is unfair and this only exists in Britain.

"I don't want to put my country in a difficult position, I'm doing this because I believe I can do well in the Olympics. If I didn't believe that then I wouldn't waste my time and the time of my lawyers.

"I believe that I can be in the first three in Beijing. I can win a medal."

Like many of his fellow sprinters, Chambers was impressed by the new world 100m record of 9.72 set by Jamaican Usain Bolt last weekend, but the Briton insists running that kind of time at an Olympic Games is a different matter.

"I saw the race and it was very impressive," commented Chambers. "I was training with Bolt when I returned from my suspension, he's a great athlete. But as he said afterwards, it doesn't mater how fast you run, the important thing is to win in the Olympics."

Chambers is currently without a coach - a situation which he favours.

"I prefer to be alone. I have been running since I was 14 so I know what my body needs," he added, also mentioning the public support factor in his decision to challenge the BOA ruling.

"What has happened has happened and I can't change it now. For me it's important that the public support me and I have been very encouraged by that."

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