Malcolm
ready to graduate with indoor honours
Reuters
8 March 2001 - Former double world junior champion Christian Malcolm says he is ready to step up a level and claim his first senior global title at this weekend's world indoor athletics championships in Lisbon.
Anyone who saw his graceful, fluent sprinting in Annecy, France three years ago when he won both the 100 and 200 metres by huge margins at the world juniors will have instantly recognised Malcolm as a name to watch.
Now 21 he has already begun to fulfil that potential. In his short career at 200 metres he has garnered a Commonwealth Games silver medal, an Olympic fifth place in Sydney and the European indoor title a year ago.
With his gliding sprint style, copied from Carl Lewis, and slightly upright stance, Malcolm has been hailed as a potential successor to Michael Johnson, the world record-holder at 200 and 400 metres.
Malcolm gave up soccer to concentrate on athletics, despite having trials with Nottingham Forest when they were still a premier league club, where he was regarded as a skilful winger.
"I prefer athletics," he said on the eve of the Lisbon championships. "Everything I achieve on the track is down to me, it doesn't matter what my team mates do. If I don't win I only have myself to blame."
Malcolm is the latest of Britain's crop of promising young sprinters, which includes Darren Campbell and Dwain Chambers, and Malcolm's successor as world junior 100 metres champion, Mark Lewis-Francis, who on Sunday races alongside Malcolm in the 60 metres in Lisbon.
Malcolm is not top of the rankings in his better event, the 200, going into the championships, since Kevin Little and Shawn Crawford both managed to chip hundredths of a second off his 20.46 lifetime best when finishing second and third at last weekend's United States championships in Atlanta.
But the man who beat Little and Crawford that day, Coby Miller, broke his leg in a pile-up after crossing the line and Malcolm has confidence from knowing that he has already beaten Miller decisively this winter.
"Going to Lisbon as the favourite will put some pressure on me but I don't mind," Malcolm said. "I always seem to take time to get going in the winter but I'm pleased with the way things have gone so far."
His appearance in the Olympic final also boosted his confidence. "My performance in Sydney convinced me I could mix it with the big guys," he said.
