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
sprinter. 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.
Linford had a tremendous 1995 indoor season, breaking the
European indoor record over 60m in a time of 6.47 seconds
and in the same event in Lievin, France on 19 February,
he smashed the 200m World Indoor Record in a time of 20.25
seconds. The 1995 World Championship ended with great disappointment
for Linford when his hamstring tore during the 100m final.
However, he came back against the best in the world in Zurich
to beat the World Champion Donovan Bailey. Linford ended
his season in Johannesburg with his fastest time of the
year 9.97 seconds. read more
click here
for a full printable version of the biography.
return to clients
|
