Sebastian Coe fears British athletics will be on trial at the Beijing Games. The double Olympic champion today said questions remained over the coaching system used by track and field chiefs.

British athletics is targeting five track and field golds this summer. But underperformance could raise questions about their programmes for elite athletes, considering the unparalleled funding enjoyed by UK Athletics.

Coe said: "I think that the euphemism is that we are a team in transition in track and field.

"There aren't going to be rich pickings. Whether we have got the right coaches or not, I don't know. That judgement will have to be made after Beijing. In the past we have fallen behind in the quality of our coaching."

UKA will receive £7million this year in public funds through UK Sport and have a £50m sponsorship deal with Norwich Union. At the Athens Olympics, Kelly Holmes and the men's sprint relay were the sport's only contributors to the medal table. Their gold-winning feats failed to dispel concerns about a lack of strength in depth in the squad.

Coe believes rowing, sailing and cycling - with nine British golds at the recent world championships - can be the model for success for athletics.

He said: "UKA's focus post-Beijing will be on performance for those four years up to 2012. We know you can't be a little bit pregnant on this - you either have world-class coaches or you don't as it is the most competitive sport out there.

"It is truly global and I'm afraid we have fallen behind in the quality of our coaching and that's what UK Athletics need to address.

"If you look at rowing, cycling and sailing - it's the three things that are there: a well-managed governing body, worldclass coaches and hungry, motivated competitors.

"If you don't have all three you don't get people up on to a medal rostrum."

Coe's warning comes after a turbulent start to the year for UKA, who became embroiled in a controversy after chief executive Niels de Vos said he did not want to pick drugs cheat Dwain Chambers, who may still appeal his lifetime ban from the Olympics, for the British team.

Coe said: "They have got a good chairman [Ed Warner] and a new chief executive [Niels de Vos].

"They have spent the first year sensibly restructuring and people now know what their jobs are and they have shrunk an organisation which was too big."

Coe, an equestrian aficionado, is backing Zara Phillips to win Beijing gold. "She's a consummate horsewoman and you wouldn't be surprised if she won given her background," he said. "Her father was one of the best horsemen this country has had."

Coe revealed his "all-time hero" was Paula Radcliffe and he was optimistic she could win Olympic marathon gold.

"I pray Paula gets what she deserves in Beijing but there's nothing harder than marathons."

He also tipped heptahlete Jessica Ennis for a medal and said world indoor 60m silver medalist Jeanette Kwakye had an outside chance of a medal.