Speakers Profile - Linford Christie










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Europe's greatest ever 100m sprinter, Linford became an Olympic 100m Champion after winning the Gold Medal in Barcelona in 1992. In an International career spanning seventeen years Linford competed over 60 times for his country and won more major championship medals (23) than any other British male athlete.

He was the British team captain from 1990, a year that saw him claim his second European Championships 100m title, and his first Commonwealth Games Gold, until his retirement from International Athletics in 1997.

Linford became the first man to retain the World Cup 100m crown, and in 1994 won an amazing sixth European Cup title and a third World Cup title. This total was added to in 1995 and 1996 with European Cup victories in the 100m and 200m to make him the holder of eleven titles. Unbeaten by a British athlete for eight years (until 1996) over 100m, Linford is the only European to have run below ten seconds. His fastest time, 9.87 seconds, recorded when he won the 1993 World Championship in Stuttgart, is the European record.

Amongst the numerous awards bestowed upon Linford was the prestigious 1993 'BBC Sports Personality of the Year' and 'European Athlete of the Year'.1994.

Although semi–retired, Linford competed in a limited Indoor race season in 1997, setting the fastest 200m time in the world, when winning the 200m in Stuttgart, to add to the 60m title. The outdoor season started well, with two Grand Prix victories and captaining a victorious men's team in the Europa Cup in Munich. Linford decided to end his international career at the Europa Cup with a fine display, winning the 100m & 200m sprint events, reaffirming his dominance of European athletics over the last decade.

Linford publicly announced his official retirement from the track after the World Championship in Athens 1997, confirming that his interests now lie as a coach, rather than a competitor.

He is currently coaching some of Britain's leading international athletes, Jamie Baulch, Darren Campbell, Paul Gray and Katharine Merry.

Now retired, but still keeping fit, Linford is a familiar face on television as a celebrity and as a technical commentator in Athletics.