Christian Malcolm - 100m & 200m

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In 1998 he became the World junior 100m & 200m Champion, in 2000 he became the European indoor champion and came 5^th in the Olympic Games, at the age of 21. Arguably the most talented 200m runner in the World, Christian is quickly establishing himself as the sprinter to watch

In 1996, aged 17, Christian was Britain’s fastest junior over 200m and reached the world junior semi-finals in Sydney. Two years later during the winter season he broke the Welsh indoor record for 200m (21.26secs) at U20 level and pushed his rival Dwain Chambers all the way over 60m.

Continual improvement during the early summer was highlighted by victories in a GB junior match over 100m (10.30secs) and 200m (20.83) the latter breaking Jamie Baulch’s Welsh Junior record At the AAA’s U20’s he won the 200m in a windy 20.48 and at the European Juniors he took the 200m gold by a wide margin in 20.51 secs.

Christian won three European junior medals; 200m gold, 4 x 100m gold and 100m silver. His 100m time of 10.24 beating Colin Jackson’s long standing Welsh senior record. Christian’s arrival on the International circuit was against the legendary Carl Lewis at Zurich in 1997; Christian beat Carl who earmarked him as a future star.

Christian’s 1998 season underpinned Carl Lewis’s remarks. After winning the 100m & 200m at the U20’s AAA Championships, he went on to win the 200m at the Welsh Senior Championships. Christian’s ultimate goal for 1998 lay at the World Junior Championship’s in Annecy, France Christian not only won Gold at the 200m in a new UK Junior and Championship record of 20.44secs but also won Gold at the 100m in10.12secs, a personal best and Championship best.

Christian’s maturity and experience has continued to grow as rapidly as his racing capability. He competed in Zurich and Lausanne in preparation for the Commonwealth Games. At the games Christian, with his first real taste of senior championships, ran superbly in the 200m final taking silver medal in a new personal best and European junior record of 20.29secs.

In what will undoubtedly be the one of many awards, Christian received the ‘1997 Junior Male Athlete Of The Year’ award by the IAAF at their annual ceremony in Monte Carlo, an Award they apparently reestablished due to Christian’s fantastic achievements.

Christian, keen to capitalize on his success of 1998, launched into the 1999 season with a new personal best time for the indoor 200m of 20.74 and just missed out on a place at the World Indoor Championships. However his focal point for 1999 was the outdoor season and the European under 23 Championships in Gothenburg. Christian delighted his fans by taking Silver in both the 100m and 200m sprints, and competing as part of the GB 4x100m relay, Christian came away with a European U23 Gold medal.

Christian’s transition from a junior to a senior athlete was remarkable. He stormed into the Indoor season taking the national 200m title and winning the 200m at the British Grand Prix, he went on to win his first senior gold medal at the European Indoor Championships in Ghent in a Welsh Record (20.54) and the 5 Nations Classic in Glasgow against the best in the world to reaffirm is arrival on the senior circuit.

April 2000 saw Christian warm weather training in California with his coach Jock Anderson and his fellow training group members in preparation for a long and demanding season. Christian’s new found place as Europe’s top 200m runner was reaffirmed when he beat the best of the Americans winning the 200m at the GB v USA in Glasgow, and beat the best of the Europeans when he won (20.45) the 200m at the European Cup in Gateshead. Christian’s last race before the Olympics was the Norwich Union Classic, dubbed to be the potential Olympic final, Christian stormed through to win in a season’s best of 20.45s beating the American Champion John Capel, as well as Jon Drummond (USA), and Coby Miller (USA).

Christian went to the Olympics with huge expectations for a 21 year old, he cruised through the rounds recording a personal best in the second round with 20.19, he matched this time in the semi finals and went into the final in Lane 3. Christian ran a great race but unfortunately his bend was not as smooth as it had been in previous rounds and he clocked 20.23 to finish 5^th. Despite the initial disappointment of not getting a medal, Christian realized that he had made a rapid progression from the junior ranks and now, at the young age of 21, he was one of the best 200m runners in the world.

Christian had a superb 2001 season just missing out on a medal at the World Championships in Edmonton in both the 100m and 200m, but impressed the world’s media and fellow competitors by reaching the final in both events.

Christian’s focus for the busy 2002 season was firmly set on three events. He began with the European Indoor Championships in Vienna (March), where he aimed to retain his 200m title. As firm favorite going into the final, Christian was desperately unlucky to pull his hamstring coming off the final bend and had to settle for the silver medal.

This injury proved a problem throughout Christian’s 2002 outdoor season and he performed admirably at both the Commonwealth Games and the European Championships to finish 8^th and 4^th respectively in the 200m finals. Christian thoroughly enjoyed winning the Gold medal at the European Championships in the 4x100m with team-mates Darren Campbell, Marlon Devonish and Dwain Chambers.

Christian began his indoor season with a 1^st place finish at 60m at the Lansing Linde Severnside Trophy International meeting at Cardiff on Sunday 9^th February, and he was also a member of the gold medal winning 4 x 200m relay team. Christian ran his season best times at the Norwich Union World Trials and AAA Championships in Birmingham. In the 60m he ran 6.68secs and in the 200m Christian won his semi-final with a season’s best of 20.74secs. Unfortunately, due to a slight strain Christian had to withdraw from the 200m final ending his indoor season early.

Christian started the 2003 season injury fee, running 10.38 in Loughborough for 2^nd place. He then went on to run 10.22 in Riga, and 20.78 in the 200m, gaining 1^st place in both events. A few days later he improved his 200m time in Lille, with 20.72.

At the end of June Christian ran a season’s best time of 20.45 in Florence at the Europa Cup, which placed him 2^nd. He ran 10.25secs in the 100m at the Luzern meet in Switzerland. At the GB vs. USA vs. Russia meet in Glasgow, Christian ran 21.16secs in the 200m to take 2^nd and was a member of the 4 x 100m GB relay team that finished in 2^nd in 38.69secs. At the Norwich Union Super League in Gateshead, Christian won the 200m in 20.73secs. At the end of July he ran at the AAA’s World Trials in Birmingham and progressed through the heats in the 100m to finish 5^th in the final in 10.34secs. He won his heats in the 200m and finished in 2^nd in the final in 20.39secs and secured his place on the GB team competing at the World Championships in Paris. In the lead up to the World Champs Christian ran a season’s best of 20.25secs and won the 200m at the Crystal Palace meet in August.

At the World Championships in Paris, Christian ran 20.65 in his heat to finish in 3^rd and in his quarter final he finished in 3rd in 20.58. In the semi-final he ran 20.43 and finished in 5th from a difficult lane draw. Christian was a member of the successful 4 x 100m relay team that won the silver medal in the final with a season’s best time of 38.08secs.

Christian competed in few indoor events in 2004, although he looked good in those he did, winning the 200m at the Norwich Union indoor Grand Prix in Birmingham in February with a time of 20.74 seconds.

The Outdoor season started with a win for Christian in the 200m with a time of 20.80secs at the Kassell meet in June. This was followed by another win in the 200m at the Europa Cup in Poland in a time of 20.56secs. Christian ran in both the 200m, finishing 2^nd, and the 4 x 100m relay at the British Grand Prix at Gateshead at the end of June.

At the Olympic Trials and AAA Championships at Manchester on 10^th and 11^th July Christian successfully qualified for the British Olympic team in the 200m and the 4 x 100m relay. In the lead up to the Olympics Christian competed at the Norwich Union International in Birmingham on July 25^th where he ran the 200m in 20.53secs and was placed 3^rd. This was followed by the Crystal Palace Grand Prix where he was 2^nd in the 200m with a time of 20.51secs. Prior to flying out to Athens, Christian attended the Team GB pre-Olympic training camp in Paphos, Cyprus. Whilst at the camp Christian suffered from kidney failure which meant he was hospitalized for several days. This drastically affected his preparation for the Games, however, amazingly due to pure determination he still managed to valiantly reach the semi-finals of the 200m. On returning from the Olympics Christian was advised to rest for a short while.

Christian traveled to Australia with Linford and Darren Campbell in April of 2005 for an intensive warm weather training camp. It was extremely successful and he returned to the UK in fantastic shape for the outdoor season. He began competition at the Inter-Counties in Bedford, where he came 3^rd in the 100m in 10.30secs. Early June he was selected for the 200m in the GBRvRUSvUSA match, where he came 2^nd with a time of 20.92secs.

His warm weather training was already paying off and he won both the 100m & 200m in Bratislava, going on to win the 200m at the Europa Cup in Florence shortly after in 20.15secs. This was a fantastic performance, the fastest 200m seen by a British sprinter in the current season and a new personal best for Christian.

Christian doubled at the AAA’s & World Championship trails in Manchester. He came 3^rd in the final of the 100m in 10.35secs and won the 200m in 20.65secs ahead of Marlon Devonish his main rival this season over 200m. This secured Christian a place in the GB squad for the 2005 World Championships in Helsinki.

Before heading off to Finland Christian ran in front of a packed stadium in Crystal Palace for the London Grand Prix. He ran well, coming 4^th in 20.39secs, however the three Athletes ahead of him all went under 20 seconds, so a medal was a very hard task.

Christian passed through the 1^st round of the 200m with ease in Helsinki, but the next round was postponed due to dismal weather conditions. He qualified the next day for the semi-finals, but just missed out on making the final.

Christian changed coaches in 2006, moving to the full-time supervision of former Olympic 100m Champion Linford Christie. He spent the whole of March warm weather training in Australia with Linford and his new training partner Darren Campbell prior to the Commonwealth Games. The training camp consisted of intense speed and strength work to get Christian in to racing condition for the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne.

Following a couple of good races in Australia leading up to the Commonwealths, Christian unfortunately suffered a slight hamstring strain in the 100m heats and out of precaution was advised not to proceed with the Championships. He remained in Australia throughout April, making the most of the warm weather and great facilities to get back to full fitness. On his return to the UK he now splits training between London and Cardiff, training one-to-one with Linford whilst in London.

In June 2006 Christian took first place at the European Cup in Malaga in the 200m however due to a hamstring injury was unable to compete in Gothenburg as part of the Great Britain team at the European Championships. Injury continued to halt his progress in 2007 however he began to return to for with a 10.32 in the 100m at a warm-up meeting in Osaka before running the first leg of the bronze medal-winning British 4x100m team at the World Championships.

Christian is looking forward to getting a full season under his belt in 2008 as he works towards the Olympic Games in Beijing this summer. He began the indoor season in promising form with a 4^th place finish in the final of the World Indoor trials 60m in Sheffield in a time of 6.69s. He has now finished competing for the indoor season and in April will return to warm weather training in preparation for the outdoor season.

Christian joined the ‘Nuff’ Respect team in 1997. He has modeled the spring/summer collection for a top clothing brand on the catwalk and is increasing his celebrity status in the media world appearing in a number of Celebrity TV shows, as well as featuring in publications such as FHM and GQ.

Christian is sponsored Asics. He lives in Newport, Wales and is coached by Linford Christie.

Christian has always been an all round sports person and played Football to a high standard when he was younger, having trials with QPR and Nottingham Forest.

February 2008