Linford CHRISTIE

For Linford Christie the 1991 World Championships in Tokyo were a mixture of the good and the not so good. In the final of the 100 metres he ran the fastest time of his life, stopping the clock at 9.92 seconds for a new European Record. On the negative side he finished fourth in the race and therefore out of the medals. Carl Lewis won in 9.86 seconds ahead of Leroy Burrell (9.88 secs.) and Dennis Mitchell (9.91 secs.). It was the greatest 100m race of all time. On the All Time 100 metres ranking list these four time were ranked 2.3.4.5. behind Ben Johnson's 1987 time of 9.83 seconds - a time that was later to be erased from the record books. (Dennis Mitchell was some time later suspended for drug use as indeed was Linford Christie himself).

At the time and then aged thirty one it might have crossed Linford's mind that time was running out for him to capture one of the "majors". Allan Wells may have won the Olympics at the ripe old age of twenty eight but most sprinters "peak" in their mid twenties - or at least statistically always had in the past. The 1992 Olympics in Spain would be his last chance. The above photo of Linford Christie in full flight was actually taken during 1990 at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre in London, but we liked it so much we just had to include it somewhere on Linford's pages!   (GH)

 On 1st August 1992 Linford Christie's moment of truth arrived, could he at the age of 32 finally capture the most valued title in athletics "Olympic Champion", in an event that the oldest man ever to win it before had been aged 28. In his only sub 10sec. run of the year Linford rose to the occasion and won the "blue riband" event of the Games in 9.96sec. from Frank Fredericks (10.02) and Dennis Mitchell (10.04) (see photo above - by G. Herringshaw ©) to eclipse the many gold medals he already had to his name (European champion 1986 and 1990, Commonwealth Champion 1990). The win erased the memory of the previous year at the World Championships where despite setting a European record of 9.92sec. he finished behind a trio of Americans led by Carl Lewis.

Only the absence of Lewis, defending his long jump title, thwarted him from relegating the all powerful Americans to the "minor" medals. Leroy Burrell, second at the World Champs was fifth in 10.10sec. (second from left above). Mitchell also won the bronze in the 200m. Linford had, of course, gained the Olympic silver medal four years earlier (behind Lewis) after the disqualification of Ben Johnson but nothing can compare to a "Gold". Thus he became only the third Briton to win the coverted 100m. title behind Harold Abrahams (1924 in 10.6 secs) and Allan Wells (1980 in 10.25 secs). It was Allan's record as the oldest 100m. winner that Linford bettered ! Linford failed to make the 200m final finishing 5th in his semi, with 20.38sec. His UK record of 20.09sec. set in 1988 was equalled by John Regis in the Final. In Cuba that September Linford won the World Cup in 10.21sec. for Great Britain and earlier in the year had won the UK Champs (10.43) and the AAA's (10.09) both from Jason Livingston. (GH)

Incredible as Linford Christie's career was there was one flaw in his C.V. the absence of a world record. By the time of the 1993 World Championships in Stuttgart the ageless Linford was thirty three and yet he was still improving ! Perhaps the double stimulus of becoming World Champion and by that achievement becoming only the second man in history to simultaneously hold all four major international titles (Olympics, World, European and Commonwealth - Daley Thompson was the first), would inspire him to even faster times. At the Barcelona Olympics, the year before, he was the only finalist to dip under 10 seconds. At Stuttgart he went even better and ran the only sub 9.90s. He duly won the final (see photo above) in 9.87s from Andre Cason (USA) 9.92, (lane 6) and Dennis Mitchell (USA) 9.99 secs with world record holder Carl Lewis 10.02 secs in 4th place, but victory was tempered by his time.

Thrilled as he was at becoming the World Champion his emotions were mixed because he had failed by a mere one hundreth of a second to equal the record set by Lewis (9.86sec) at Tokyo four years earlier. It was nonetheless a European, Commonwealth & British record and the fastest time he ever recorded. It also reaffimed him as the finest sprinter of those years. To be strictly accurate Linford did set a world record. In 1995 he ran an indoor record of 20.25 for the 200m but since the outdoor record was by then well below 20 secs it was a poor consolation prize. (GH)