LINFORD CHRISTIE
100 Metre Sprinter

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 proved to be another successful year, starting with a European indoor record of 6.48 seconds over 60m at Karlsruhe in March. The outdoor season started with an impressive 10.03 victory in Nurnberg and achieving his seventh AAA title when winning the 100m in 9.91 seconds in Sheffield in June, the fastest time ever run on a British track. He went on to successfully defend his European and Commonwealth titles.



CHAMPIONSHIP PERFORMANCES:
Olympics: 1992 Gold 100m, 1988 silver 100m. Worlds: 1993 Gold 100m. European: 1986 Gold 100m, 1990 Gold 100m, 1994 Gold 100m. Commonwealth: 1990 Gold 100m, Gold 4x100m, 1994 Gold 100m.